Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Collins for her supplementary question. The Rudd government recognises that the wounds from these terrible events are too deep to be healed overnight. That is why the Rudd government has committed to help the Victoria government and the communities affected to rebuild. The agencies within my portfolio are making good that promise. Centrelink and CRS Australia have made over 100 professionally qualified case managers available to help the Victorian government provide a case manager to each family affected by the fires.

Centrelink is also running the case management phone line through which families can be referred to a case manager. The role of case managers is to ensure that each family has one point of contact to access services, payment and support. The case managers will work with families to meet their individual needs, whether that is putting children back in school, financial support, access to health services, accommodation, counselling, employment, or legal or insurance matters. (Time expired)