Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne. Can the minister outline to the Senate how the Australian government is helping Australians in the Northern Territory and Queensland respond to Cyclone Lam and Cyclone Marcia?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Canavan for the question. As senators will know, both Tropical Cyclone Marcia and Tropical Cyclone Lam had devastating impacts on families and businesses; in the case of Cyclone Marcia, in parts of Central Queensland. Thankfully there was no loss of life.

On Thursday and Friday of last week the Prime Minister, the justice minister, I, Senator Canavan and the members for Capricornia and Flynn visited both Yeppoon and Rockhampton—and, in my case, Biloela as well—to see the recovery effect and meet with families who really are still trying to get back on their feet. The Australian government is providing extensive assistance to the people of the Fitzroy and Wide Bay-Burnett areas in the form of both the disaster recovery payment and the disaster recovery allowance. The DRP is a one-off, non-means-tested payment of $1,000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children who have been adversely affected by a major disaster such as Tropical Cyclone Marcia.

The Commonwealth's decision to make disaster recovery payments available to the residents of Fitzroy as soon as we could after the cyclone was of great benefit to those affected. The DRA is going to support the local economy by giving employees, small business owners and farmers a bit of a hand when they need it most. This is assistance which is over and above the jointly Commonwealth and Queensland funded Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, the NDRRA. That sort of assistance covers hardship payments to individuals, loans for businesses and primary producers, and support for councils to assist them in rebuilding impacted infrastructure.

The clean-up effort is still underway; and there is some way to go, to be honest. The ADF, the Attorney-General's Department and my own Department of Human Services have worked tirelessly since the cyclone in Queensland to support communities affected by those recent cyclones, and we will continue to work closely with the Queensland government. (Time expired)

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Will the minister detail how the Australian government is making sure Australians can access the support available to them?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In terms of access I am really quite pleased and proud to be able to say that my department was back up and running in Rockhampton, Yeppoon and Biloela on the first business day after the cyclone, albeit running off some very large generators. When we bear in mind that the local staff have also enjoyed the same experience of the disaster events as the community, that is a pretty big undertaking. In addition to manning those service centres, we have also had staff operating in both recovery hubs in Yeppoon and Rockhampton. To assist with ease of access in more remote areas, we also diverted one of our mobile service centres—which I have spoken about in this chamber before—to this region from Monday of last week. It has visited a number of smaller towns and villages. Today it is in Marmor, helping there.

Our phone lines were open straight away. Since that Sunday we have taken over 9,400 phone calls relating to both cyclones. We have received, in Queensland, 7,485 claims for disaster recovery payments and, as a result of that, granted 3,263. (Time expired)

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask an additional supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate how the government is supporting Australians in the Arnhem region affected by Cyclone Lam?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Canavan. The destruction in Galiwinku and Elcho Island was also very significant. The Commonwealth and the Northern Territory government have been working very hard to help the community get back on its feet—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Did you tell them you were paying them less than the Tasmanians got?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pause the clock. Senator Williams, on a point of order.

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I rise on a point of order. This is a very serious question. I would ask you to ask Senator Cameron to stop interjecting while we get this very serious answer, please.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On the point of order: I am only trying to explain that Queenslanders are being treated as lesser than people in Victoria and Tasmania. The senator should be honest about that.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. Senator Cameron, resume your seat. Order! On my right and left.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Senator Ian Macdonald interjecting—

Order! Senator Cameron and Senator Macdonald. Senator Cameron, on your own admission you were interjecting. I would ask all senators to cease their interjections.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are used to the contempt that Senator Cameron has for the Australian people, so nothing is a surprise. The governments of the Northern Territory and the Commonwealth, of course, have joined under the NDRRA in the East Arnhem and West Arnhem regions as well. We have remote servicing teams from my department in the communities of Galiwinku, Ramingining, Gapuwiyak and Milingimbi to help expedite these payments. We also have local departmental staff providing specific interpreter services at Galiwinku, and we have sourced interpreters for the other three communities.

As I said, the Minister for Justice visited the region personally on Friday to meet with the community and also to announce additional assistance in the form of the disaster recovery allowance. Since the announcement we have granted 255 claims in that part of the Territory. (Time expired)