HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL: Disaster boss reaffirms ongoing assistance efforts to Mossman, Daintree, Degarra and all Shire residents
SPECIAL INTERVIEW
The past month and a bit in the Douglas Shire has been one of the hardest in living memory for local residents.
Whether it be unforeseen homelessness, businesses decimated by December’s unprecedented flood events, road closure chaos, isolation, or simple cost of living strain, it’s been a period of time that everyone would agree we’d rather all collectively forget.
Cyclone Jasper and the December floods brought many Douglas Shire residents to their knees, but we’re resilient and we will come back from this.
A short time ago in this exclusive chat Newsport editor Michael Warren went one-on-one with QLD Deputy State Recovery Coordinator Mike Wassing about what is being immediately done to directly assist residents from Degarra, to Daintree Village, to Wonga, Mossman, Port Douglas and everywhere in between in the wake of last month’s cyclone and flood events.
NP - Newsport
Mike - Mike Wassing
--
NP: Mike an overwhelming sentiment across the Shire is that locals feel not enough is being done on the ground to directly assist with their range of needs and requirements post Jasper and the major flood event. Can you absolutely reassure Douglas Shire residents the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and Douglas Shire is doing everything it can to help local residents?
Mike: I want to start off by saying that I absolutely acknowledge there’s been a significant impact here in the Douglas Shire follow Jasper and the floods. The QRA will continue to work very closely with DSC to provide support services that the community needs.
NP: Just break it down for us Mike, how has the QRA in conjunction with DSC directly assisted local residents?
Mike: In broad terms 13 Councils were directly affected by Ex Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the related flood event.
Specific to Douglas Shire we’ve had ongoing emergency services situated at Degarra and Bloomfield helping with on the ground needs, with further help from the ADF.
In the Daintree and Cape Trib area, our ongoing focus has been getting re-supplies into locals. The most recent, key development for the Cape Trib area has been DSC has now been able to attain emergency vehicle access through large parts of the Daintree that were previously blocked off weeks ago’ by Jasper or the flood event.
We’ve also set up barge operations to make sure we’re able to get regular re-supply in and out of the Daintree.
Moving on to Mossman –the residents there have been to hell back and back and we continue to progress clean up operations there along with ongoing waste removal.
We know there are also ongoing issues with water availability in Mossman, while we also continue to support the community in regards to access to mental health and health services. We’ve got ADF personnel and disaster support people based in Mossman.
We also continue to assist other areas right across the Shire, including Wonga Beach.
NP: Mike it’s fair to say this genuinely sounds like a one to three year recovery mission
Mike: Many parts of Douglas are still in that relief stage, and we’re not yet into what we’d traditionally call the recovery stage as yet.
The reality is we are trying to make sure through the wet season, whether it be by air, water, or road, that the Douglas Shire community is supported by relief and recovery operations.
NP: Mike, who specifically is leading the disaster recovery approach in the Douglas Shire?
Mike: The response is being locally led by Douglas Shire Council. QRS is assisting the Council where we can in regards to this coordination and execution of the overall relief and recovery efforts.
Support local journalism
If you’d like to support our journalists and independent journalism in the Douglas Shire please support Newsport by hitting the Support Us button on the top of the page.
Thank you!
Newsport thanks its advertising partners for their support in the delivery of daily community news to the Douglas Shire. Public interest journalism is a fundamental part of every community.
Got a news tip? Let us know! Send your news tips or submit a letter to the editor here.
* Comments are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport, its staff or affiliates. Reader comments on Newsport are moderated before publication to promote valuable, civil, and healthy community debate. Visit our comment guidelines if your comment has not been approved for publication.