Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Ludwig. Can the minister outline to the Senate how the government is supporting Queensland recovery and rebuilding after the floods this summer, and what additional support is the government delivering for Queenslanders?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his question. Today in Ipswich the Prime Minister unveiled the Queensland support package to provide additional targeted assistance to those hardest hit by the Australia Day flood. We are standing with Queensland to assist the communities, small businesses, primary producers and their families who have been the most impacted and need that extra little bit of support to get back on their feet.

We have already rolled out significant assistance in categories A, B, C and some D measures, and today we are also announcing extra assistance which builds on our track record of helping Queensland, just as we did through the 2010-11 floods and Cyclone Yasi, where we provided $6 billion worth of assistance. Today's package supports local businesses and local economies. We are investing in clean-up and recovery programs and industry recovery offices to get our farmers back into production as soon as possible. We are investing in the Rural Financial Counselling Service and Small Business Advisory Services to make sure primary producers and small businesses can access good advice and financial planning to help them on the road to recovery. We are providing concessional loans and grants to help primary producers and businesses to repair damage caused by the flooding. We are also helping communities that have been truly hit for six. We will deliver tailored recovery packages for community wellbeing in Bundaberg and North Burnett, including mental health and social gatherings so communities can heal. For the environment we are supporting programs like Reef Rescue and natural resource management groups to clear waterways and reduce run-off. We are also backing our local councils and their workers that will be patching up roads and doing the reconstruction work. (Time expired)

Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the government is supporting Queenslanders' insurance costs as part of mitigating floods?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his first supplementary question. Today the government announced $100 million over two years to reduce flood risk and bring about real reductions in insurance premiums. The National Insurance Affordability Initiative will invest $50 million a year in targeted flood assistance and other natural disaster mitigation measures as well as establish the National Insurance Affordability Council. These measures are designed to better protect communities and help reduce insurance premiums in flood-affected regions. The learned experience of Australia shows that, by taking action on mitigation, we can significantly reduce insurance premiums. In this investment we are targeting three specific projects in New South Wales and Queensland. We are making a $7 million contribution to building the Roma levee. In addition to that, the second project will be $10 million to upgrade flood defences in Ipswich, and also we will make available— (Time expired)

Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate of the importance of the state and federal governments working together to help those most impacted by natural disasters?

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Furner for his second supplementary question. The final element of the government's action today is to provide, for the first time ever, a dedicated fund for the improvement of local government roads as well as their standard. Today we put in place a betterment fund that will support local councils to improve their local roads and assets to a level above the current standard and to make them more flood-proof and more resilient. Our government has put on the table a contribution of $40 million to the fund, which we expect the state government to match. I have some comments by Premier Campbell Newman on this support, which he says comes with strings attached. That is true, because the state government want to get a slice of the money. I said no. They want to give it to main roads. I want to make sure it is for local councils like Bundaberg, the Lockyer Valley and the North Burnett. (Time expired)