Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The member for Deakin asked the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Services questions relating to emergency relief funding. I am more interested in how it affects the flood and other disaster affected areas in Queensland in particular and nationally. I am also interested in the Commonwealth Financial Counselling service, which I have spoken to the minister and the parliamentary secretary about previously. I want to put on the record my appreciation to both of them for their availability and their preparedness to take my incessant phone calls during the flood disaster in south-east Queensland. It affected my electorate—I see the member for Wright; I used to represent the Lockyer Valley, so I know what he has been through in the past few months. I represent most of the city of Ipswich and all the Somerset region, covering the Brisbane Valley, which has been really badly affected, so the emergency relief funding and the Financial Counselling assistance have been greatly appreciated.

I also thank the parliamentary secretary for coming to my electorate of Blair twice in the past few months. The first occasion was 1 February, when we visited Spiritus Kinections and Anglicare. They are doing great work in supporting people, particularly around Riverview as well as the Ipswich CBD, with a number of Commonwealth and state funded programs to help families suffering from anxiety, separation, mental health and other issues. Having a good conversation with the providers there was useful.

I also want to thank the parliamentary secretary for going to Riverview Neighbourhood House. They are an organisation that received emergency funding. I note they also received funding in the budget of $71,530. Kerry Silver and Christine McDonald, the coordinator there, were also present. They did a fantastic job during the flood. They fed hundreds of people, and there were literally about 100 people sleeping at Riverview Neighbourhood House. I want to thank the parliamentary secretary for being there.

But I want to focus mainly on the Commonwealth Financial Counselling service. Diane Bos, who is the general manager of Lifeline Ipswich and West Moreton region, which covers all of the rural areas outside of Ipswich, contacted me some months ago about the need for the continuation of the Commonwealth Financial Counselling service. I advocated on her behalf. I know this program has made a big difference. The Salvation Army have been involved in this program as well. When the parliamentary secretary came to Ipswich the first time, she visited the Salvation Army at Bundamba and also the distribution centre. The distribution centre was flooded, as was the church at Bundamba.

When the parliamentary secretary came back on 16 April, we met with a family who were really badly affected. The Garfer family in Ipswich had lost everything. Mr Garfer was living in the Unilinks apartments at Churchill, near Deebing Creek, which was entirely flooded, and lost everything. He related how the financial counselling service, as well as emergency relief, made a big impact on his life. From speaking to people like Diane Bos and Rick Hoffmann from the Salvation Army, and Brad Strong, who runs Canaan, which is the employment service at Riverview, I know that that sort of emergency relief and the financial counselling have made a big difference.

As the farmers, the small business operators, the families and the individuals are recovering from the flood, they need financial help. They need assistance—not just compassionate help in terms of goods and services but a helping hand and a genuine bit of advice to help them get back on their feet. This compassion and genuine care is clearly shown through the wonderful people at Lifeline, the Salvation Army and other local organisations in the Ipswich and Somerset region. I am interested in knowing what the budget means for those flood affected areas, not just in emergency relief but through the Commonwealth financial counselling services both nationally and across flood affected areas of Queensland.

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