Mr ENTSCH: In the wake of Cyclone Jasper and associated floods, the true spirit of the Far North Queensland community has shone brightly. In conjunction with Sergeant Dave Raymond, Project Recognise has been created to honour and pay tribute to the many unsung heroes and volunteers for many acts of selflessness and generosity that have supported our affected communities in these challenging times. It has been remarkable to see the volume of nominations coming through. The community wanted an avenue to say thank you back to so many who have stepped up. These actions, large and small, have not gone unnoticed. To the 550 and counting individuals and organisations that have been recognised to date, I want to say thank you on behalf of the electorate of Leichhardt. Through nomination by their peers, recipients receive an official certificate and a letter thanking them for their efforts, acknowledging their important contribution towards the recovery. It is one small way that we can give thanks and recognise their efforts.
At the end of the day, through all the trials and the tribulations, Far North Queenslanders are an incredibly tough and loving bunch, and the fact has never been more clear to me because of the amazing efforts that we’ve seen across the whole spectrum of generosity that started, basically, on the evening of the disaster and continues to this very day. It’s amazing how people step up when in need.