Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Watt. On Friday last week I travelled to Forbes and Eugowra and saw firsthand the utter devastation caused by last week's flooding events. Minister, can you please provide an update on the recent floods across the country and what the Albanese government is doing to support impacted communities?

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

Senator Sheldon, I recognise and thank you for your commitment to flood-effected communities, particularly as the government's special envoy for disaster recovery.

In Australia right now there are currently around 200 local government areas which are disaster declared and receiving state and federal support. Many of those are in New South Wales, where 75 local government areas have experienced severe flooding. That's around 60 per cent of all the council areas in New South Wales. These floods bring real tragedy, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the 10 people who have lost their lives in New South Wales and Victoria to date. These floods are deadly, and, in many areas, they are repeated. These floods have a real human cost, and people are hurting. Senator Sheldon, I know that you visited central west New South Wales last week, as did the Deputy Prime Minister. We've all heard devastating and inspiring stories of resilience and survival.

Yesterday, I met with locals in Eugowra, where homes were literally washed down the road and roofs came to rest on cars, among much other damage. I spoke with Snow, who pulled 12 people out of flood waters to safety, and Kim, who was rescued from her roof by helicopter. I heard stories of neighbours checking on one another and helping with the clean-up. Understandably, the people I met with are deeply affected by these traumatic experiences. I know they have the support of this entire chamber.

I know other communities are going through similar horrors. While in Rochester in Victoria just over a week ago, I saw the damage from heavy rains on the local school. I've seen similar damage to homes, crops and businesses in Echuca, Moree, Forbes and Parkes, just since parliament last sat. I want to commend the heroic work we're seeing from local communities and from local SES, police and fire services. The federal government is currently deploying 200 ADF personnel in central New South Wales as we speak, and it's been terrific to see support from our international friends in New Zealand and Singapore. Everyone is supporting these communities right now. Time expired.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Sheldon, first supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, I'm aware that over the past month you have visited communities across Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia, which are out of the immediate disaster and are now entering the long-term recovery. Minister, we know that flood recovery will take months, if not years, and these communities will be reliant on our support. What financial assistance is currently available for flood impacted communities?

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

This severe weather is very widespread, with disaster declarations for the September-October floods and storms now in effect in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland. As I mentioned earlier, in Australia, there are currently around 200 local government areas which are disaster declared and receiving state and federal support. This includes a combination of support for individuals, financial help for councils and homeowners for clean-up and repairs of roads, bridges and other infrastructure, support for primary producers, assistance for small businesses, and hardship grants for non-profit groups. Currently, we're delivering support that will help communities' immediate needs as we continue to assess the longer term supports that will be necessary to help towns recover and rebuild.

The Albanese government continues to work very closely with state governments and councils to make sure that appropriate support is getting where it's needed. I'm very pleased to see such bipartisan spirit, and I acknowledge the contact I've had with Senator Davey, in her shadow role, along with other members of the National Party.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Watt. Senator Sheldon, second supplementary?

Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

While I was in western New South Wales, many community members raised the state of the roads and their concerns about getting produce in and out of flood impacted areas. What support is the Albanese government providing to help fix the roads in these communities?

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

We understand that road repairs are a major concern for a lot of regions who have experienced flooding. Roads are the arteries of regional Australia, and we need to keep them open as quickly as we can. Support for road repairs is currently available in New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria through the disaster recovery funding arrangements, which are jointly funded by the federal and state governments. These funds provide immediate help for states and councils to repair roads, footpaths, bridges, tunnels, flood levees and stormwater infrastructure. The National Emergency Management Agency and Resilience NSW will meet with councils in New South Wales this week to help them with information about what support is available.

I am very conscious that these floods are not just happening in New South Wales. They've been happening in a number of other states, and our friends in South Australia are watching with concern about what might be coming down the Murray River shortly. That support will continue to be in place for every state and every community to repair the roads and infrastructure that we're seeing destroyed. We are standing with these communities, and we will continue to do that for as long as is necessary.