Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie meets with Kalbarri residents 12-months post Seroja

As part of her tour of the Mid West, Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie paid a visit to Kalbarri last week to meet residents and discuss the ongoing challenges of the cyclone Seroja recovery process. The Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience was joined by State Opposition Leader Mia Davies and former Geraldton MP Ian Blayney, who is now campaigning as the Nationals candidate for Durack in the Federal election. Ms McKenzie said it was clear there was still much to be done before locals could return to their homes and some businesses could reopen doors. “We know that recovery from natural disasters takes time and there is still more work to be done in Kalbarri, a year after ex-tropical cyclone Seroja,” she said. This community has been through so much and shown incredible and admirable resilience. In collaboration with the WA State Government we will continue to support Kalbarri’s recovery”. State shadow emergency services minister Martin Aldridge said locals had welcomed the opportunity to share their concerns about the rebuild with the Minister. “The Shire of Northampton, business owners and locals in Kalbarri were able to raise issues directly with the Minister, like the patchy telecommunications, streamlining support grants and emergency housing,” he said. “The State has responsibility to roll out the funding provided by the Federal Government and the Minister undertook to follow up on these concerns. “Families and businesses have waited too long to have their lives return to normal following the devastation of cyclone Seroja.”