David Littleproud (Maranoa, National Party, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Robertson for her question and I acknowledge the fact that now her electorate is becoming inundated with floodwaters. I acknowledge the leadership of all the members—those who are here and those who are back with their electorates. I also acknowledge the fact that many have reached out with individual issues that we have been able to resolve through Emergency Management Australia, particularly in New South Wales, working with Resilience NSW, and that has made a difference to real people.

We've got to understand that, while the sun is shining, it is still unsafe for people to go near these floodwaters. Not only are they putting themselves at risk but they are putting at risk their families, and, more importantly, they are also putting at risk those men and women, many of whom are volunteers, who are out there trying to protect them and protect the properties of those who have been impacted. We've had 922 rescues to date. We all have a responsibility in this—every one of us. We are pleading with those people: you need to stay away. You are not just putting at risk the rescue of men and women who have been forced to escape from these waters but you're also impeding relief efforts. That's why yesterday we initiated the National Coordination Mechanism to be able to provide essentials to those communities that have been locked off. Today I'm pleased to say that 50 palettes from Coles will get through to North Richmond, and we are making every effort to encourage Resilience NSW to take up our offer of further aerial support to get more stores into those communities, because we are still uncertain as to the speed with which those waters will abate over the Hawkesbury, and we need to make sure that those communities feel the comfort of the knowledge that they will be able to get what they need.

That is complemented by the fact that we have approved a request from the New South Wales government for ADF support. There are three extra helicopters that have been provided to them, plus there will be a surge of 290 ADF personnel when they are deployed tomorrow. That will increase to 700 over the coming couple of days as water continues to abate and we can get them in to help in the clean-up.

We have also ensured that we have engaged Shane Stone, as an eminent Australian who currently leads our National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency, to look at the long-term recovery. That can only happen once the waters abate and we allow the New South Wales officials to make assessments about the extent of that damage. We will work with New South Wales with the understanding that the support we provide is adequate in repairing the damage, not just to public infrastructure but to those personal properties which have been impacted. Shane Stone will work underneath the Director-General of Emergency Management of Australia to make sure that those programs are rolled out in conjunction with Resilience New South Wales, and I acknowledge Shane Fitzsimmons as the commissioner of that.

This will be a long road to recovery, but, no matter the road, the Australian government will be there with them all the way.

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