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

My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management, Senator McAllister. Just over three weeks ago, Tropical Cyclone Alfred was bearing down on South-East Queensland and northern New South Wales. While we're all so thankful that the impacts weren't as extreme as feared, many have felt the impacts of flooding and other damage caused by the storm. How are affected communities responding to the aftermath of Alfred, and can you outline any support that might be available?

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

This has been a really challenging time for communities in South-East Queensland and in northern New South Wales. Tropical Cyclone Alfred was not unprecedented, but it was highly unusual. It was category 2 cyclone bearing down on one of the most densely populated regions in Australia. I know that the thoughts of all Australians were with those potentially in its path. At one point during the event, 450,000 Australians had lost power in perhaps the most significant power outage in Australia's history. We saw, through this event, the hard work of emergency services personnel, ADF personnel, local government employees, energy and telco personnel, and thousands of volunteers to keep communities safe.

The Albanese government worked very closely with the Queensland and New South Wales governments to support the households that were impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. For example, supports were jointly funded for people if they lost essential services, such as power, gas, water and sewerage, for more than five days; if they needed help to cover the cost of emergency essentials, like food, clothing and medicine; or if their home became structurally unsafe to live in. We have also, of course, provided Commonwealth-only assistance in the form of the Australian government disaster recovery payment and the disaster recovery allowance. The latter payment supports people who are unable to work for a period as a consequence of the event. We know that this will have a cost on the budget, and the Treasurer has made that clear in recent days, but we think this expenditure is worth it, we think it is critical and we will stand by the people of South-East Queensland and the people of northern New South Wales as they begin their journey of recovery.

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

The Albanese Labor government has been committed to strengthening the Australian government's capacity to respond to events like these and to help people recover, including by establishing the National Emergency Management Agency. What measures were put in place by the government to prepare for this high-risk weather season, and how has that effort made a difference on the ground?

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

A key priority for our government has been to rebuild capability in disaster resilience, response and recovery after the coalition's disastrous period in office. We have established the first ever emergency stockpile. During ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred the stockpile deployed 125,000 sandbags to Queensland and six large generators to New South Wales to support the response. We've increased the national aerial fleet investment, and states and territories now have access to a large air tanker and three federally funded heavy-lift helicopters. During Alfred these were pre-positioned in Bundaberg and Coffs Harbour. We have funded Disaster Relief Australia, and, again, in Alfred DRA staff were deployed to help with the clean-up in Queensland.

We know that the climate is changing and Australians will face more severe events of this kind, and that's why we have made these investments. It's in stark contrast to those opposite. Their promise of reckless cuts will send a chill through communities affected by natural disasters.

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

Senator Sheldon, second supplementary?

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

I want to commend all the work done by emergency management personnel and public servants when they work so hard to help their fellow Australians in times of need. With all the good work of our Public Service in a crisis, it beggars belief that, in the days leading up to Alfred's impact, the shadow minister could not rule out cuts to the National Emergency Management Agency. What would cuts to NEMA mean for the Australian government's capacity to support communities through natural disasters?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! Before I call the minister, there will be order!

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

The National Emergency Management Agency was created by our government, and I think it has shown why a well-coordinated and properly resourced agency is so important in keeping Australians safe. Whether that is running the national situation room, delivering hundreds of thousands of sandbags to Queensland councils or working to maintain and establish supply chains, that capability has been widely recognised as changing our ability to support the states in managing natural disasters.

That refusal by the shadow emergency management minister to rule out job cuts to NEMA is disturbing, but of course that has her boss's fingerprints all over it. Mr Dutton is a person who has described Labor's investments in Public Service capability as wasteful spending, and he is committed to cutting 36,000 public servants.

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

Withdraw those comments, Senator Ruston.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

I think the question is this: who is it that the coalition plans to fire at NEMA if they win the election?