Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Emergency Management) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator O'Neill. I recognise your longstanding interest in these issues and in the wellbeing of communities in New South Wales.

This is of course my first question as minister in this portfolio, and I want to acknowledge my predecessor, Senator Watt. His is a legacy that I am proud to build on. I also want to acknowledge the communities who are still on the long road to recovery following floods and fires, and the terrific workers and volunteers, some of whom I've already had the privilege of meeting in the last two weeks.

But, as the frequency and severity of natural disasters has grown, so has the expectation that the Australian government will be able to step up and support communities when they are at their lowest. The Albanese government has risen to this challenge. Over the last two years, we have implemented a number of reforms to ensure that Australians can be better prepared for natural disasters, so these communities can respond better and recover faster when a disaster hits us. These include creating the National Emergency Management Agency, to lead a more unified and more coordinated approach to emergency management; completing a substantial upgrade to the National Situation Room; establishing and building a National Emergency Management Stockpile; and investing in Disaster Relief Australia to boost volunteers providing recovery and support to clean up after disasters.

Our government is focused on working collaboratively with our partners to help communities prepare for and manage disasters. States and territories of course retain primary responsibility for these responses, but our government's approach is to show leadership, boost our capacity to coordinate and show that we are ready to support states and territories and support communities at their worst possible moments.