QLD:Gulf flood recovery visit for Bligh

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2011
QLD:Gulf flood recovery visit for Bligh

By Jessica Marszalek

NORMANTON, Qld, April 15 AAP - Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has visited the Gulf of
Carpentaria to hear the problems of mayors only just beginning their flood recovery after
the summer monsoon.

Ms Bligh and the head of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Major General Mick
Slater on Friday visited Normanton, where a vital freight road to Kurumba reopened only
three days ago.

The prawning town was cut off for 14 weeks after floods that began in December submerged
the only road to Normantown under metres of water.

With trucks unable to get through, tinnies and barges were used to take food to Kurumba
and prawns the opposite direction.

Ms Bligh said the damage bill for the road was $25 million and the meeting was being
held to discuss issues such as how to rebuild roads better so they stood less chance of
going under in the wet season.

"As other parts of Queensland are really getting moving with the reconstruction, it's
important to remember that here in the Gulf country they're still in the early part of
recovery," the premier told reporters as she viewed the damage before the meeting.

As well as roads, mayors used the gathering to raise issues including government red
tape and the frustration of infrequent flights in and out of isolated towns during the
wet season.

They complained of infrequent weekly flights and full planes that made it difficult
for them to conduct business when roads were cut.

Carpentaria Shire Council mayor Fred Pascoe said towns were isolated for longer this
year than in the previous 2009 floods, creating problems with transporting food and workers
into communities as the recovery got under way.

"We had major problems with getting product out and also getting resources in, as in
people, into those places so the fishing companies can get their boats done and gear ready
to go out," Mr Pascoe said.

Ms Bligh promised to take up the issue with carrier SkyTrans, which is subsidised by
the state government.

Mr Pascoe also complained of the lack of river gauges to warn communities of the size
of the annual approaching flood.

"Our catchment area is in the hundreds of thousands of square kilometres," he said.

"We need that type of infrastructure so we know how much water is coming, firstly,
and then we can plan for when it gets here.

"We don't have that. We fly a lot in the dark."

He said he hoped Ms Bligh would act on the community's concerns.

"There's nothing better than getting them up here walking, talking, feeling it," he said.

AAP jmm/crh/jhp

KEYWORD: RECOVERY GULF

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