Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I welcome the opportunity to speak. I've only been in this place for a mere 15 months, but, during that time, my electorate's seen not one but four severe challenges. It's been a remarkable time in our country since 18 May. But it's fair to say that this is a strong coalition government, and it has managed to chart a very steady course through these disasters.

My area of Cowper, particularly the Macleay and Nambucca regions, was gripped by a long-term drought from about 2016 to 2020. We then had devastating bushfires and heavy smoke, which took its toll, from August 2019 to February 2020. Australia proved itself to be, as the poem says, a land 'of droughts and flooding rains', as we saw isolated severe storms and flash flooding in Port Macquarie on 2 February and in Coffs Harbour and the hinterland on 11 February. And then, of course, the one-in-100-year global health pandemic started in February.

Whilst I wish none of this had occurred, I've seen it bring out the best in my community. Cowper residents dug deep for their farmers by buying drought-relief bales, they banded together to fight bushfires and now they've rallied to adhere to social-distancing restrictions. Indeed, we haven't seen a case of community transmission in Cowper for about four months.

I'm proud to be a member of this good Liberal-National government because we have taken responsibility for these significant challenges confronting the Australian people. We have introduced an unprecedented level of temporary support to help the residents and businesses most in need in my electorate. In terms of bushfire assistance, there were the disaster recovery payments of $1,000 for individuals and $400 for children. I know that a total of $29 million had been given out to approximately 25,000 applicants as at June this year. Our government, out of compassion, doubled those disaster recovery payments, from $400 to $800, which was an additional $34 million. For primary producers who had lost stock, fences, sheds, machinery and crops, more than $10 million has been handed out, in grants of up to $75,000, to about 175 producers. I know that producers and businesses have benefited greatly from the government's concessional loans. In New South Wales alone, the grants have totalled over $15 million to June this year.

For the drought affected farmers in the Kempsey local government area, Minister Littleproud enabled their access to the $57 million extension of the Drought Communities Program in January this year. Through the Drought Community Support Initiative administered by St Vincent de Paul, a total of 266 farmers, farm workers and rural supply businesses have been assisted. The Drought Community Support Initiative, with its $3,000 grants, is still open for applications—and I encourage farmers, farm workers and suppliers not to self-assess but to give Vinnies a call to see if they're eligible.

And, of course, there's the assistance our coalition government has provided throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Our government heeded the advice of the Chief Medical Officer early and declared a pandemic. Because of the swift, decisive action of the Prime Minister and health minister, our country saw far fewer deaths from coronavirus than many of our overseas allies.

So much has been said in this House over the past two weeks about the historic wage-subsidy scheme JobKeeper. I won't go into any detail other than to say I know that there are 5,300 very grateful businesses, organisations and sole traders receiving it in Cowper. Businesses have also welcomed the $1.5 billion expansion of the apprentice and trainee wage subsidy scheme, as it keeps our young people in training, and in a job in businesses with up to 199 employees now. Our government is also supporting construction jobs and businesses across the Mid North Coast by investing $44.1 million in local shovel-ready infrastructure projects and road safety upgrades.

Our coalition government has worked hard to provide timely economic, social and health support through not one but three major natural disasters, and one global pandemic during my time as a parliamentarian. I condemn this MPI before the House today.

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