Troops deployed to help Queensland’s storm clean-up

Dozens of Australian Defence Force troops will be deployed to help with Queensland’s storm clean-up as the weather system was expected to pull off the coast on Wednesday.

Spectrum Plants owner Wesley Trevor starts the clean-up on Tuesday after being hit by storms and floods. Picture: Adam Head

Dozens of Australian Defence Force troops will be deployed to help with Queensland’s storm clean-up as the weather system that dumped torrential rain on the state’s southeast corner was expected to pull off the coast on Wednesday morning.

About 50 troops will be sent to help clear debris in areas impacted by wild Christmas storms, amid growing community anger about lack of government help during the recovery.

At least 21 homes have been destroyed and another 1200 damaged by deadly storms, and a freak tornado and cyclone that have battered Queensland since mid-December.

Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said an initial 30 personnel would be deployed on Thursday, but warned against using the ADF too often to help in natural disasters, with its primary role to defend Australia.

“We are obviously always prepared to make sure that we use the ADF when the circumstances require, but what we need to do is work out what are some other options we have at the federal level to supplement the resources states and territories have,” he said.

“We need to remember that with climate change, we are going to be seeing more of these extreme weather events than … in the past.”

Heavy rain moved north of the Gold Coast on Tuesday, to Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, but the Bureau of Meteorology expected severe conditions to ease by Wednesday morning.

“The worst of the rain has passed,” senior forecaster Felim Hanniffy said.

He said there was potential for more showers and storms for the southeast on Friday, but “the focus of that system is likely more inland rather than coastal areas”.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain swept along the entire east coast on Tuesday, with a severe thunderstorm warning issued for large parts of central and western Victoria.

Although rain was expected to ease in Queensland’s southeast by Wednesday morning, senior forecaster David Grant warned more rain over summer could be disastrous. “We’re only in early January and our catchments are now well and truly saturated around the southeast corner,” he said.

Storm damage in Guanab. Picture: Glenn Hampson

More than 9000 homes were still without power on Tuesday evening after storms ripped through southeast Queensland on Christmas and Boxing Day, killing seven people.

Gold Coast-based Liberal National MP Mark Boothman became emotional as he pleaded with the state government on Tuesday to do more to help people whose homes and businesses had been destroyed.

“First we had a tornado, now we’ve got floods,” he said.

“My residents, they’re at breaking point, and I just want to say to the Premier – where are you, mate?’ We need help down here.”

Premier Steven Miles, officially on leave until Thursday, travelled to the Gold Coast on Tuesday to attend a local disaster management meeting.

Mr Boothman was flanked by Spectrum Plants owner Wesley Trevor, who lost 40,000 plants and suffered about half a million dollars in financial loss.

“I can’t see how I’m going to generate enough cash flow to keep my staff employed, I have roughly 15 staff … I’m not going to last very long. I just can’t see it, mentally, I can’t see a way out of the situation,” he said.

“I’m not one for handouts, but we need help, there’s no doubt about that. If I’m to keep staff members and stay afloat, even stay in business, I’m going to need something.”

Acting Premier Cameron Dick announced financial relief for small businesses in the Gold Coast, Scenic Rim and Logan areas on Tuesday morning.

Disaster assistance loans of up to $250,000 will be available for primary producers and small businesses, and separate loans up to $100,000 for business operations such as paying rent and staff wages.

Personal hardship payments of $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five are also available to residents impacted by severe storms.

Additional reporting: Mohammad Alfares