Matt Keogh (Burt, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank my friend the member for Hasluck for her important question. I know she'll be pleased to know that many reservists who participated in assisting with the floods in WA's north were from 13 Brigade, the brigade that the member for Hasluck has supported through her work as a member of 109th Signal Squadron.

I'd like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the hundreds of defence personnel and reservists who sacrificed their summer breaks to support their fellow Australians when they needed it most. There is still flooding throughout northern, western and Central Queensland, with some local resupply disruptions continuing. Flooding is forecast to continue to impact the Darling River communities in coming weeks as water continues to move downstream. Meanwhile, flooding has peaked and is slowly beginning to fall along the length of South Australia's River Murray. The House, of course, will be aware of the unprecedented flood damage caused by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie as it continues to impact parts of the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Through Operation Flood Assist, our ADF personnel have helped with sandbagging, levee construction, evacuation support, transport and logistics, clean-up support and air traffic control. In just the last five weeks, up to 275 ADF full-time and reservist personnel at a time worked hand in hand with the Western Australian departments of fire and emergency services and of communities to ensure that people from remote and regional communities were relocated from floodwaters, helping more than 1,200 people.

I thank both the member for Durack and Senator Dodson for their advocacy for their communities throughout the flood emergencies. They both joined me on the ground in Broome to receive briefings on the work of the ADF in the flood efforts and to thank them for their work. I'd like to thank the Prime Minister, the Minister for Emergency Management and the Minister for Northern Australia, who joined the Premier of Western Australia, the WA Minister for Emergency Services and the WA Minister for Community Services, who have all visited the flood zones. Thank you for your support for the communities of WA's north-west. Defence remains responsive to changing requirements and remains ready to respond to requests for assistance around Australia.

I'dlike to remind Western Australians in Broome, Derby-West Kimberley, Wyndham-East Kimberley and Halls Creek: you are eligible for assistance under Commonwealth-state disaster recovery funding arrangements. Services Australia staff are on the ground in Fitzroy Crossing and Broome to ensure people get the assistance that they need. I'd like to remind those communities in the north of WA that, under the Albanese Labor government, we don't believe that it's your postcode that should determine your access to disaster support but your need. When communities need help, we will make sure that that happens.

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