Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Fierravanti-Wells for this question and I note her interest in regional New South Wales. A very large area—the Hunter and Central Coast—has been affected by extensive flooding. The significance of that is demonstrated by the number of claims and inquiries that Centrelink has received. To date I can report to the Senate that over 8,500 calls have been received and that, by way of claims, at close of business yesterday a total of more than $4.1 million had been paid to over 5,000 people—about 3,300-odd adults and over 1,800 children. This relates to the measures that the Prime Minister announced, where payments of up to $1,000 could be made to an adult and up to $400 for a child where someone had been either hospitalised or their residence had been rendered uninhabitable.

I am pleased to say that, during my visit to the Hunter and the Central Coast last week, this announcement made by the Prime Minister was warmly received. A further announcement of additional assistance was made with the New South Wales government. Two community recovery funds of half million dollars each—one for the Hunter region and one for the Central Coast—are to provide grants to community service organisations who provide recovery services, tourism, small business initiatives, economic development initiatives and heritage and cultural site activities—just to name a few. In addition, the Prime Minister announced a grant of up to $15,000 for small businesses and farmers who have been affected by the floods. During my visit, it was pointed out to me that many of the farms had had their feed washed away by the floods. Of course, this was a great loss to them. This grant of up to $15,000 will also help small business recover. Urgent clean-up and re-establishment costs are the things that we are looking at here. This is another important aspect in addressing the loss that people have suffered.

On the ground, I saw great work being done. I visited Chittaway Point with the member for Dobell, Mr Ticehurst. The Wyong Centrelink office had been affected by the floods to such an extent that its staff worked from the pavement, side by side with state authorities, to address the issues and concerns of local residents. Wherever I went, I had extremely positive feedback on the great work being done by Centrelink staff, the SES workers and the state authorities as well as, importantly, on the way that they coordinated their responses and worked side by side. I spoke to SES workers who had come from all over Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales to assist in the clean-up.

This is an ongoing issue. It will take a great deal of time to get the situation back to as it was. The area has been undergoing further bad weather, and we are on the watchout for any further damage. There is a hotline number, 180 2211, that people can call; it is a Centrelink number. I would urge anyone who thinks they may be eligible for assistance to come forward and put their case to Centrelink, not just to make an application but also to be referred, if appropriate, to other state bodies that are closely involved in the recovery operations in what has been a significant flood in a very important part of Australia.