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

I thank Senator Furner for his question. The impact of the floods across Australia is unprecedented. This is one of the biggest natural disasters ever to hit our nation. In Queensland we have seen a once-in-a-generation natural disaster followed by another devastating weather event in Cyclone Yasi. Much of Queensland has been impacted by these disasters. For some the loss has been, quite frankly, devastating. Everyone around Australia is thinking of those families who are grieving and who have suffered loss.

Queensland of course is still assessing the full impact of these natural disasters. The state and the Commonwealth will continue to made a significant contribution in the initial emergency response and to the rebuilding effort. It is a national responsibility to respond to these challenges. We should respond, and have responded, as a nation. The Gillard government has responded and quickly rolled out emergency financial assistance. This includes the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and the Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy. As of 8 February, across Australia over 350,000 payments from the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment have been made to a total of around $413 million, over 44,000 Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy payments have been made totalling over $18 million and Commonwealth agencies such as Centrelink continue to work with communities that have been affected in areas right across South-East Queensland up to Emerald and into the Cyclone Yasi area of Far North Queensland. The Australian Defence Force and federal law enforcement officer staff from our human services agencies are doing a tremendous job on the ground getting Queensland back up and running again. The Prime Minister has— (Time expired)