Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I appreciate it is in your electorate, too, and it is also in the electorate of the member who asked the question, the member for Monash. The Commonwealth government will consider Mr Merlino's request for additional assistance. We will do that as quickly as possible. Assistance via funding, assistance via Australian Defence Force personnel, boots on the ground—we will do what is requested. We've already put in place and activated the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Here is an update on the dreadful storm. There are 7,000 homes in the Dandenongs without power for, potentially, a further three weeks. In Monash, the electorate of the member who asked the question, there is storm damage in Dumbalk, Fish Creek and Buffalo. In Gippsland, the Traralgon floods saw 87 homes with water across the floorboards. In Casey—your electorate, Mr Speaker—there are power outages in Ferny Creek, Kalorama, Mount Dandenong, Olinda, Sassafras and Upwey. I appreciate that the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley have been hit hard. I messaged the member for McEwen before question time, and I appreciate that he's been doing what he can for his people in the Macedon Ranges and, particularly, in the Lancefield region. I know the member for Ballart indicated earlier this week that her electorate has also been hit. Many areas of Victoria have been hit hard by the storms. We stand ready. I know there are many, many trees down, there's severe damage and many people are doing it tough at the moment. So we will, as a responsible Commonwealth government, as always, provide what assistance is necessary and needed, and we stand ready to work with the Victorian government to this end.

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