Nationals leader David Littleproud says Australian Defence Force ‘will be ready’ to support flooded Cairns communities

Nationals leader David Littleproud said he understands the Australian Defence Force “will be ready” to assist Queenslanders affected by devastating flooding.

Massive rainfalls have caused major flooding in the region around Cairns, sparking widespread concerns about the wellbeing of locals amid the dangerous conditions.

While the Queensland government has pledged “every resource available” to help support affected communities, there have also been suggestions the federal government could provide additional assistance.

Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt confirmed on Monday the ADF had already played a role in transporting first responders to the affected region, a move Mr Littleproud approved of.

“I give credit where credit is due, the federal government has made it clear that the ADF is on standby,” he said.

Asked what further assistance the ADF could provide, the Nationals leader explained that would be a source of discussion over the coming hours as Queensland authorities carried out assessments of the situation on the ground.

“There’s normally an ADF officer seconded in the emergency services headquarters fo Queensland to make sure that those tasking operations that are required, and potentially could be required, are on stand-by,” Mr Littleproud said.

“The ADF will be ready to move as soon as the Queensland government makes that request.”

Queensland Premier Steven Miles told Seven News on Monday morning the state was “grateful” for the additional support provided by the ADF and federal government, as he explained rescuers were still struggling to access some parts of the region.

“We have the Defence Force supporting us, (local Royal Australian Navy base) HMAS Cairns has been working through the night,” he said.

“We are grateful for that support from the army and the navy, alongside our SES (State Emergency Service) and everybody else who has been helping.

“The situation in Cairns and across the whole region is such that the roads are blocked off and the clouds are so low, the rain is so heavy, we can’t get planes in, so we need everyone to stay safe.

“We need to just be ready for the moment that we can go in and rescue people.”

Mr Littleproud said he had seen photos from Coalition Senator Susan McDonald which showed the Captain Cook Highway from Cairns to Port Douglas had been “basically destroyed” by floodwaters.

Cairns Airport has also been forced to close, with river levels in the area as high as 4.4 metres according to the Bureau of Meteorology, and there have been reports of cars being caught by the deluge.

Given the risk to wellbeing, Mr Littleproud issued a strong warning to anyone considering venturing out into the floodwaters.

“There’s no need for disaster tourism, if you don’t need to be outside and your home’s safe stay there,” he said.

“Let the emergency services personnel get on with their job and stay the hell away.”