Steve Gibbons (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Will the minister update the House on the joint Commonwealth-Victorian efforts on the Victorian bushfires?

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to thank the member for Bendigo for his question and for the efforts that he has made on behalf of his constituents in Bendigo. I also recognise the very significant work being done by the member for McEwen, the member for McMillan, the member for Indi, the member for Gippsland and the member for Ballarat. And I would like to recognise my colleagues from Victoria, many of whom, I know, are working very hard on these issues, which are still affecting so many people in Victoria.

I would like to take this opportunity to update the House on both the Australian and Victorian governments’ bushfire recovery and rebuilding efforts. It is now almost six weeks since that terrible day and the days that followed. Of course, although the immediate threat is over, every day is still a struggle for so many people—so many families who have lost, in some cases, many members of their families, friends, homes and possessions. It is still a very difficult time for people and will be for a considerable time to come.

As the Prime Minister has said, the Australian government intends to be there every single step of the way, no matter how long it takes, to help to rebuild both people’s lives and their communities. There is certainly a lot of work going on as we speak. I would particularly like to thank and recognise the work being done by my parliamentary secretary, the member for Maribyrnong, who has been on the ground over the last few weeks in the devastated fire communities, working particularly with the Victorian government and with the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority and its head, Christine Nixon, as they go around working with communities. As members will know, the royal commission that has been established began its consultations yesterday, and the Commonwealth has, of course, given its commitment to cooperate in every way possible. Just this week, my colleague the Minister for Tourism and the Premier of Victoria announced a $10 million package to encourage tourists back into the fire devastated areas of Victoria.

I would like to give one example, that of a trout farmer in Buxton—I am sure the member for McEwen is familiar with this fellow—who is already getting his business back up and running. He has been cleaning up and doing an extraordinary job. He is just one example of a terrific businessperson trying to get himself back on his feet. I say to anybody listening today that there are many parts of these fire affected areas where you can visit and where people will be very happy to see you.

I can inform the House that, as of today, personal hardship and distress payments—including almost 8,000 emergency payment grants—have been made, totalling around $5.9 million. Forty-seven million dollars in Australian government disaster recovery payments have been of immediate assistance to individuals and families. More than 1,300 properties have been registered under the demolition and clean-up program. Could I just mention and thank Grocon, the contractor that has got the job to coordinate the clean-up—they are doing this job at cost. We have a large number of case managers from Centrelink, from the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service, from the Department of Human Services in Victoria and from non-government organisations, who are all providing one-on-one case management to fire affected families. There are farmers and small businesses now accessing grants, advisory services and low-interest loans. There is extra money for emergency relief. Extra assistance has been provided for mental health services. One of the lovely things happening is that, through the Community Recovery Fund, we are seeing the local footy clubs, tennis clubs, golf clubs and pony clubs already starting up again and rebuilding their clubhouses and grounds.

I would like to take just a moment longer to particularly thank all of the Commonwealth agencies that have been involved in both the relief and the recovery effort to date—in particular, the very large numbers of people from the defence forces, the Australian Federal Police, Emergency Management Australia, Centrelink and the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service. There are many people here in Canberra working behind the scenes. I would particularly like to thank all of the people in my own department who have been working night and day to make sure that all of this is working smoothly—or as smoothly as possible—in what has been a very, very difficult situation. There has been a veritable army of people in a wide range of voluntary agencies and, of course, just the most extraordinary generosity of the Australian people donating to the appeal.

I think this demonstrates that each and every one of us intends to be with the fire affected families and communities for as long as it takes.