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

My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Watt. Last February, New South Wales and Queensland faced devastating flooding in one of the costliest and most devastating global natural disasters of 2022. As we pass the first anniversary, can the minister please update the Senate on what support has been provided to these very important communities?

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

Thank you, Senator Sheldon, for your ongoing work as the government's envoy for disaster recovery, supporting me and all flood victims in the ongoing task of recovery. I'd like to acknowledge again that this first anniversary has been a very difficult time for many Australians. The flooding event that we saw in February 2022 devastated communities across the east coast of Australia, and it has been, and will be, a long road towards recovery.

As a government, we've been working very hard, along with those affected communities in New South Wales and Queensland, to ensure that they are able to not just recover from those floods back in February last year but build back in a more resilient way. Financial recovery that has now been provided totals in the billions of dollars for a range of programs across a range of floods last year, and those programs assist primary producers, small businesses, homeowners, charities, landlords, councils and many others. In the Northern Rivers of New South Wales alone, more than $1 billion has been provided jointly with the New South Wales government in support payments directly to residents. But we know that there's a long way yet to go.

While the Albanese government is focused on recovery, we're also focused on being better prepared for future disasters. That's why we've rolled out resilience and betterment projects in disaster-prone regions; passed legislation and opened applications for our flagship Disaster Ready Fund; unified the two arms of federal emergency management to create a new National Emergency Management Agency; provided pathways out of harm's way for people, through investment in voluntary home buybacks and taking action on future floodplain builds; invested in Disaster Relief Australia to provide recovery and clean-up support after disasters; commissioned an independent review into national disaster funding arrangements to ensure funding is hitting the right areas; and invested in flood research and many other things. The Albanese government knows that the job is not over and will continue to support communities impacted by natural disasters.

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

Senator Sheldon, your first supplementary?

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

In my home state of New South Wales, the Northern Rivers was particularly hard hit. What is the Albanese government doing to ensure the Northern Rivers is prepared for future flooding?

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

The 2022 February floods were the worst floods the Northern Rivers has ever seen. I know Senator McAllister has also spent a significant amount of time there, hailing from the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. Last week, I was back in Lismore with local state member, Janelle Saffin, Mayor Steve Krieg, Senator Sheldon, Senator McKenzie and the federal member, Mr Hogan, to commemorate the one-year anniversary and reflect on the past 12 months. I was honoured to meet and thank locals in the tinnie army as they were presented with medals for their courageous efforts helping to rescue strangers trapped by floodwaters.

Recently, I announced $50 million of flood resilience projects to be delivered under tranche 1 of the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Grants Program, fully funded by the Albanese government. This includes things like road raising, flood pumps, drains and community resilience projects. The remaining $100 million of projects will be announced within the next six months, but we know that more support will be needed. We're also cost sharing to major resilience programs including the Resilient Homes Program and the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package. (Time expired)

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

Senator Sheldon, your second supplementary?

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

Right now, communities in the Northern Territory are facing flooding. Can the minister please provide an update on what support has been provided to assist these important communities?

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

The Albanese government has acted swiftly to support the Northern Territory through multiple dangerous weather events already this year. We were there after Tropical Cyclone Ellie and we're there again now. On Wednesday evening last week, I approved a request for Australian Defence Force support from the Northern Territory government, and that support includes three aircraft to assist with the evacuation of residents from remote Indigenous communities. I'd like to thank the personnel involved for their proactive and fast action.

I understand that around 570 people are currently residing in Howard Springs, having been evacuated from those communities. We know there's heavy rainfall forecast in these communities for next week and so it may be some time before impact assessments can be undertaken and people can return to their communities. A liaison officer from the National Emergency Management Agency is on the ground, and we remain in close contact with the Northern Territory government. That's in addition to Services Australia personnel being based out of Howard Springs. We'll continue to work with the Northern Territory government to ensure people get— (Time expired)