Andrew Gee (Calare, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the Prime Minister: it's 10 months to the day since horrific torrents of water hit Eugowra, Cudal, Molong, Canowindra, Manildra and Wellington. The failure to deliver our region the same level of support that other disaster-hit areas of the state have received is a disgrace and an outrage. What is your government doing to get this vital assistance moving? With the anniversary of the disaster fast approaching, will you again visit Eugowra and our region and invite the New South Wales Premier along too?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

ALBANESE (—) (): I thank the member for Calare for his question, and I pay tribute to his strong advocacy for his local community. I visited Eugowra with him and the then-Premier of New South Wales, Dominic Perrottet, to see firsthand and to talk with the community there. They were devastating scenes. The power of water was on display for all to see. Some homes had been lifted up, literally, and taken a kilometre down the road. A steel construction bridge that had been moved and was nowhere near the river was a frightening concept. I pay tribute as well to all of the emergency service workers, to the brave men and women of the Australian Defence Force who took us there on that day and who did such extraordinary work assisting the local community and also to the resilience of that community. I certainly will continue to work closely with the New South Wales state government to deliver the disaster recovery support that has been committed.

We have delivered every single dollar of the funding from our behalf, as a Commonwealth government, but I know that at a time like this it is very difficult. Last month we announced a community recovery officer in Forbes, to work with community groups and disaster management and recovery stakeholders. A community recovery officer is already operating in the Cabonne Shire. I noted the member for Riverina at that time as well. I visited flood areas as well. Recovery grants are available for primary producers, of up to $75,000; for small businesses and not-for-profit organisations, of $50,000. There are rural landholder grants of up to $10,000; medium business support grants to support the re-establishment of medium-sized businesses or not-for-profits; back home grants of up to $20,000 to help pay for restoring housing to a habitable condition or replacing essential household items; and rental support grants to contribute to the cost of 16 weeks rent.

If there is more that can be done, I'm certainly always up for doing what is necessary for communities that have suffered so much. I've visited Lismore with the member for Page. I've visited Riverina. I've visited Calare. I certainly will take up the invitation of the member for Calare to visit the community. I'll invite the New South Wales Premier as well, because I'm sure at times like this what we need is for the whole community and different levels of government—federal, state and local—to work together.