Jenny McAllister (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Darmanin. I know that all Victorian senators will have been standing with their communities in what has been a very difficult time. In the last weeks, we have seen communities across Victoria devastated by dangerous bushfires, and I want to thank the thousands of first responders who have braved very challenging conditions and protected their communities.

We know that it is a very different time. Many in the community have had to evacuate and many have experienced damage to their homes and to their businesses. I want to thank all of those Victorians who have listened to the authorities and also those who have reached out and helped out their neighbours. Our thoughts are with the family and the friends of the person who died in the Longwood bushfire and the rescuers who were with them at that time.

While the firefighting effort is far from over, we want to support Victorians to get back on their feet as quickly as possible. The Albanese government has activated the disaster recovery allowance for workers who have experienced a loss of income as a result of the bushfires, as well as the Australian government disaster recovery payment, which provides one-off financial assistance for Victorians who have experienced major impacts from the fires. We're working hand in hand with the Victorian government to activate more than $77 million in additional assistance. Primary producers are the backbone of many of these local economies, and we are providing $75,000 grants to help cover the costs of clean-up and reinstating their enterprises. We've established a $12 million council support fund to support bushfire affected councils to restore vital community assets and services, and we're investing more than $82 million to restore and repair bushfire affected roads. We continue to monitor the situation in Victoria, and our government will work with the Victorian government and stands ready to consider requests for assistance. (Time expired)