Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Okay, I withdraw. Just returning to the matter, in response to the flooding the Australian and Queensland governments and the Australian public all worked together. They made $3 million available for fodder drops to prevent further stock losses, and I think more than 400 bales of fodder were delivered. So even though the first priority was to feed the townsfolk, the people who were on the properties, they tried to get as much fodder through as possible so that the herds were not decimated too much. There were also other initiatives. As at 4 December 2009, 10 concessional loans and 93 clean-up grants of $15,000 for the gulf region had been approved under the National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, worth a total of $1.626 million and $1.34 million respectively. The Australian and Queensland governments also funded $610,000 in fodder drops, as I said. The income recovery subsidy, equivalent to the Newstart allowance, was available from 29 January 2009 to 12 April 2009.

It was obviously devastating for those communities. Around 6,000 Queensland families lost their homes, their cars, their possessions and infrastructure associated with agriculture. It is estimated that up to 100,000 livestock perished. In all, the damage bill was more than $200 million. The Queensland and Australian governments responded, escalating disaster responses, as I said.

I would also like to point out, since we have just commemorated the Victorian bushfires, that Australians gave generously to the Queensland Premier’s disaster relief appeal, raising more than $8 million for Queenslanders in the north and north-west to help them get back on their feet. Through our Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, the Queensland government received funding to provide grants for food, clothing, accommodation, emergency housing repairs and also for expenditure on public infrastructure restoration. The Australian Defence Force helped deliver ration packs to isolated families. The Rudd government also provided $1,000 for each adult and $400 for each child to help support the recovery of those affected by the floods.

It was interesting that the floods received media attention around the world. Even the Times of London reported it:

It’s the Australian nightmare. Never mind the floods and the poisonous snakes and crocodiles swimming through the town centres. Pubs in some of Queensland’s inundated towns are down to their last few kegs of beer.

So it really is dire straits when you have pubs with no beer in North Queensland.

In addition to the payments I have mentioned, the Rudd government also made an income subsidy payment for residents over the age of 16 years who lost income as a direct result of the floods. The payments were made to employees, small business owners and farmers. This bill will ensure that those payments are not subject to income tax. Obviously, the last thing we need is for those who are just starting to get back on their feet a year after the floods to be slugged with a tax bill for the payments that they needed at a time of crisis. This schedule is the last one that I particularly wanted to cover in detail. I commend the legislation to the House.

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