Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the words of the Prime Minister. Yes, Mr Speaker, in many areas of the Riverina and of northern Victoria these are record or near-record floods, as the members for Riverina, Farrer and Murray know only too well. I thank all three of those members for the efforts they have made to keep me up to date with the flooding and also to stay in touch with the government and with officials on these important matters.

These floods follow earlier floods in south-western Queensland and north-western New South Wales. As the Prime Minister has said, the emergency is not over. As we speak, downstream communities are bracing for the full force of the flood surge. As the Prime Minister has indicated, the worst of Mother Nature tends to bring out the best of human nature. Our emergency services personnel have been doing what they always do, with great professionalism and tremendous commitment. As we have seen time and time again friends and neighbours are pitching in to help. It is the great Australian spirit at its best.

Even though the emergency is not over, it is important that the full panoply of disaster recovery arrangements is put into place swiftly. I think there is some anxiety in Griffith and elsewhere about Centrelink payments. I urge the Prime Minister to consider following the precedent established after last year's floods of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child from Centrelink and of $25,000 reconstruction grants and up to $200,000 in reconstruction loans paid for through the National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, because the people of the Riverina and northern Victoria are looking expectantly to us in this place.

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