Winston Churchill is credited with the phrase "Never let a good crisis go to waste".
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The crisis he was talking about was monumental – the worldwide devastation of the Second World War – but he was referring to the opportunity it created for the formation of the United Nations, an organisation that has done more than most to prevent another world war.
The floods in North West Queensland are not of that scale, of course, but it is a massive crisis not only for producers in the region who are dealing with large stock losses, but businesses that rely on producers for their income and indeed the livelihood of the towns and the entire region, as well as as well as the road and transport infrastructure on which we all depend.
The damage bill likely be into the billions and it is right and proper that both prime minister Scott Morrison and federal opposition leader Bill Shorten have committed to fund the rebuilding.
But there is a key word missing in what politicians from outside the region are saying and that is “betterment”.
The fact is that although North West Queensland is an important contributor to the state and national economy through agriculture, mining and other industries, there are not a great deal of votes – especially swing votes that attract political carrots in other regions.
And so while South East Queensland seems set to get another City Deal, a $58 billion cash injection to build the cross river rail, link Toowoomba with the Port of Brisbane and establish a digital trade hub, there is nothing on this scale of stimulus for our region.
There is a template for what could be done. The North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils has prepared a six point plan for the region it wants all parties to commit to.
The eight regional Mayors (Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Carpentaria, Burke, McKinlay, Richmond, Flinders and Doomadgee) want real regional investment.
The plan details the way forward for our diverse region with reliable energy, roads, dams and water, first world communications and funding community services in a way that suits remote communities.
The plan was put together before the floods but now is the opportunity to push hard to get some real action while the region is in the wider public eye.
As the election approaches we will be talking more about the plan and what the parties are committing to.
This is not a “good” crisis but we must not waste it either – Derek Barry