Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Senator Watt, for your follow-up question. As I said in my remarks in response to your first question, this government absolutely will be with our bushfire victims every step of the way. That's why we have made available significant amounts of money.

But also, in response to your questions in relation to charities, I want to commend charities out on the ground, who have played an extraordinary role, both through bushfires and through the coronavirus, in supporting Australians. I'd also like to make a big shout-out to our volunteers on the ground—the 7.8 million Australians who volunteer and who support Australians. But, equally, through those charities and through my own portfolio area we have provided significant amounts of additional funding to charities, to make sure that they're providing the emergency response services that people may need in these bushfire affected areas. But to come in here and suggest that there has been no money spent on bushfires is simply incorrect.