Anika Wells MP on ABC Brisbane Radio

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

RADIO INTERVIEW

ABC RADIO BRISBANE BREAKFAST

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2022

Subject: Brisbane floods

LORETTA RYAN, HOST: The Federal member for Lilley is Anika Wells. She's been out and about in all her areas affected and she's dropped on by down here with me today with her beautiful two little twins, little twins, Oshie and Celeste. Hello, Celeste. And Oshie, do you talk?

ANIKA WELLS, MEMBER FOR LILLEY: No he doesn’t talk.

RYAN: Oshie doesn’t talk yet. He’s too little. Anika, what have you found out about Toombul? What can you tell us about its recovery?

WELLS: Well, I know it's the number one question on locals’ lips. When will Toombul shops reopen? And from speaking to workers and their union in the past couple of days, it sounds like it's going to be a really long wait for people. Six months in fact, is what a lot of workers are being told. Some have been told up to 32 weeks depending on which part of the centre that they're that they work in. So that's obviously really terrible news both for the workers and for the businesses that they work for. For people who work in some of the big chains, it’s possible that they can get redeployed to other shops for that time. So my concern is particularly for workers and businesses that can't be redeployed anywhere. Though I did see yesterday, York Espresso around the corner was already asking for baristas who, you know, will have no work for the next six months to come and talk to them about it. So once again, community to the rescue.

RYAN: Yeah, isn't that great. I have heard about those other people being deployed to those other say big supermarkets and the like. And we are going to hear from a small retailer a little bit later on, only been there for about four years, I think. What sort of help is available to them? Federal government grants?

WELLS: There are grants for individuals and children, for people whose homes have been majorly affected. And my office has been working with people to get the applications in and people should call my office if they're having any difficulty on that front. But for businesses, I know they've been talking to the state government about what kind of assistance they're going to need, because it's like you say, when you look at it, it's a very long road back. And everybody's really worried about making sure that Toombul survives.

RYAN: Yeah. From what you're hearing, I know, there's always rumours that people are saying maybe they'll pull it down. I mean, we've tried to get in contact with Mirvac. I do have a statement from Mirvac, basically saying they're just waiting for it to be safe to let the retailers in. Some have been allowed in. Can it be saved, from what you're hearing?

WELLS: I think so. Again, I'm only hearing from workers who have been told about their livelihoods for the next six months, 32 weeks. So they haven’t been told anything that would contradict the fact that it is coming back, just that it will take a long time. And people were asking on Monday whether they could get back into Toombul. So I think expectations were a little bit different to what the harsh reality is. But also I know that centre management were overwhelmed with dedicated Toombul shoppers who wanted to come in there with a shovel and help clean up the centre. But unfortunately it’s a job too big for that. We need the insurance to come in.

RYAN: Yeah. And they need it. There's a safety aspect as well. They have to make sure that it's safe in there. What about other areas you've been dealing with? I know you've been out to Deagon. There so many places are in your areas.

WELLS: It's awful. So we take in, in the magnificent kingdom of Lilley that I represent, this is the start. We go from Toombul, right up to the bridge to Redcliffe. So for us, Deagon, Sandgate, Brighton, were particularly hard hit. There was only a few houses unaffected in Deagon. The entire suburb’s gone under basically. And it's…there's some really…people in some really difficult, horrible situations there. With again, community coming to the rescue and the unofficial northside mud army. The Mud Army didn't come to Lilley, but we had about 100 volunteers who just put their hand up and helped us cleaning people's houses out, particularly in Deagon, Sandgate and Brighton on the weekend.

RYAN: And that clean up continues though, even though, you know, we've helped people move their stuff from their homes. It's ongoing for them for months to come isn’t it. That recovery.

WELLS: And dealing with the insurance, obviously, because lots of people's cars were parked on the street. I know in Boondall in particular, a lot of people have lost their cars. So it shouldn't come down to whether or not you can afford good insurance to whether or not you can get to work for the next six months. But at the moment we're trying to work through all of those things.

RYAN: Yeah. And you were telling me earlier, we'll get back to Toombul here. You had some news about the unofficial Toombul mayor. What's that?

WELLS: People have been speaking nonstop about the Mayor of Toombul, Trevor the pigeon? People are very concerned about his welfare after the flood.

RYAN: What's the story?

WELLS: I have…Well, Trevor frequents the food court of Toombul and he's known as the mayor of Toombul, our feathered friend, our feathered King. And people were obviously very concerned after the floods that Toombul, to know that Trevor was okay. And I'm very pleased to confirm that someone spotted Trevor outside Woolies at Nundah Village yesterday. So it may be the case that Trevor is seeking refuge in the Nundah kingdom for the next. the next few months. But we're glad…I have actually sought a briefing from the Office of the Mayor about where we’re at with the Toombul shops. And I actually haven't found him to be too responsive so far. But I'll keep trying.

RYAN: Okay. But you're telling us now, just to recap. Toombul, you're hearing when it will be back?

WELLS: Workers are being told to prepare for six months being redeployed elsewhere. Or six months where they're going to need to find other work.

RYAN: Okay. International Women's Day. Anika Wells, Federal Member for Lilley, thank you so much for coming down. What are you doing today, for International Women's Day?

WELLS: Happy International Women's Day to you and to all of your listeners out there. We have a few speeches at different schools to get to today. And then I'm having an event with Ros Kelly, who was the first woman to ever become a Minister in the Australian Government. And the first one to have a baby in Parliament. I am the first to have twins, so we have a lot in common. We'll be catching up with Northside women tonight.

RYAN: Hello, Celeste. Can I say hello again? She's gone quiet. Thank you Craig., Federal Member for Lilley Anika Wells down here with the recovery of Toombul. And you heard it, she's hearing six months. Staff have been told they're going to be redeployed, but six months, hopefully might be back. We'll wait and see. When we hear further from that.

CRAIG ZONCA, HOST: Good to know that Trevor the unofficial mayor of Toombul, Trevor the pigeon was frequenting the food court is still safe.

ENDS