Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

There are evacuation orders in place for lower North Lismore, with multiple emergency warnings across New South Wales. My message is simply: please listen to the authorities. Heed their warnings and advice. We are working closely with state and territory governments to support those impacted local government areas and their communities to provide practical and timely on-ground assistance. People in local government areas affected by these floods can access disaster assistance payments through Services Australia. We currently have a bill before parliament that will transform the former government's failed Emergency Response Fund into a dedicated, ongoing source of funding for natural disaster resilience and risk reduction initiatives. Not only is it important to be there for communities at the time of disasters; it's important to be there to assist them to prepare for what's coming in the future, and that is what the Albanese Labor government is doing.

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