Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

The Albanese government is highly cognisant of the increased level of risk facing communities across the country in the upcoming high-risk weather season. We are continuing to support those communities who are still recovering from two years of successive record-breaking floods, but we've also been preparing for the drying conditions that we're now seeing from El Nino and the switch back to dry and hot conditions that that is causing this summer.

In fact, the Albanese government, through the National Emergency Management Agency, began preparations for the coming disaster season before the last disaster season had even finished, because we knew we were going to be facing difficult conditions this summer. Since then, NEMA has been pressing ahead with an expanded high-risk weather season preparedness program, which has included a disaster recovery funding arrangements roadshow, focused on informing and supporting disaster impacted local governments. Late last month we also held the inaugural high-risk weather season summit here at Parliament House, and I thank all of those who attended.