Senator Feeney thanks Reservists and their employers for contributing to QLD flood recovery
The Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator David Feeney, will tonight personally thank employers for readily releasing approximately 550 Reservists to help Queenslanders recover after the devastating floods in January.
Senator Feeney will attend the Defence Reserves Support Council Operation Queensland Flood Assist Employer Support Function at Victoria Barracks, Brisbane. He will present more than 30 civilian employers with Certificates of Appreciation for supporting their Reservist employees.
Senator Feeney said Navy, Army and Air Force personnel played a critical role in response to the worst natural disaster in Queensland’s history.
More than 1,900 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, including several hundred Reservists, deployed to support Queensland as the full magnitude of the floods emerged.
“Timely employer cooperation meant that the Reserve component of the Australian Defence Force’s Joint Task Force were amongst the first personnel onto the streets of Brisbane after the floods,” said Senator Feeney.
“Many citizens commented on the assurance they felt by seeing the uniformed personnel of the ADF. This would not have been possible without employer support and I sincerely thank all employers for releasing their Reservists during this time, often at short notice and under challenging circumstances.
“The partnership between employers and Reservists is an essential component of the success of the Reserve and the robustness of the ADF. The successful cooperation between employers and Reservist employees during the flood crisis demonstrates what we can achieve when we work together for the good of the community.
“Reservists and their employers should be proud of the contribution they have made to Queensland flood recovery. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly acknowledge and thank Reservists and their local employers for their hard work on QLD flood recovery,” Senator Feeney said.
Media Contacts:
Senator Feeney’s Office: Lorna Clarke – 0408 345 730
Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division: Deanna Nott – 0438 013 548
