Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain Katherine flood assistance

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We're going to get straight into us because we have
got on the line right now. The Federal Minister for
Emergency Management, Christy McBain, Good morning to you, Good morning,
thanks so much for your time this morning. Now. Minister,
you've been in contact with the Northern Territory government over
the weekend and the last few days when it comes

(00:20):
to well discussing the flooding in Catherine and the Big
Rivers region, tell us what you know, tell us what
the Federal government is planning to do to help those
out that are in a real spot of need at
this point.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Yeah. Absolutely. We've obviously seen the river peaking Catherine at
nineteen point two meters, which is the highest since two
thousand and six. Obviously, those Big Rivers communities have been
impacted a couple of times now over the last few weeks,
so logistically a big exercise has been a range of

(00:55):
evacuations that have taken place, including support from Australian Border
for in providing assistance to evacuate people out of those
Big Rivers communities. But we've now activated our disaster recovery
funding arrangements to assist in Catherine Town Council area for

(01:15):
temporary assistance and allows it up to eleven one hundred
dollars to cover short term accommodation costs, those personal hardship
payments that we announced over the weekend up to about
fifteen hundred dollars per family, and also some assistants to
replace the central household items which is means tested. But

(01:37):
we will continue to work with the Northern Territory government
for what other requests for assistance might come through.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
Now, I know that obviously a lot of people in
Catherine impacted. You touched on then the Big Rivers region.
Do you know which communities exactly are going to have
residents that are eligible?

Speaker 2 (01:55):
So at the moment, anyone in the Catherine ten Council
local government area. But as I said, we'll again be
able to work with the Northern Territory Government on extending
that out any further if necessary, But that will depend
on those assessments that need to take place.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
And at this point in time, is there any sort
of further assistance that the federal government is looking at providing.
I mean, you touched on a moment ago defense Force
and you know some people sort of being airlifted out
in terms of that recovery. How are things tracking.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Yes, So obviously the Northern Territory Government has the primary
responsibility for disaster response and recovery, so they need to
make any further request to us for support if it's needed.
I know my colleague Melanderira McCarthy was in Catherine yesterday
speaking to community members in particular on what other forms
of support may be necessary. We've got that freight subsidy

(02:50):
for private producers as well up to five thousand dollars,
and yesterday I spoke to a station owner in regards
to some of the issues that he's so we'll continue
to work with the Northern Territory government. Our National Emergency
Management Agency has deployed planning officers and they are embedded
in the Northern Territory so that we can make sure
any requests are dealt with really quickly, but also looking

(03:14):
at how we support strategic planning for those ongoing response activities.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
Now, not sure if it really falls under your portfolio,
but I'll ask none the less. I know that there's
been some real concern around the bomb radar well not
working last week in Catherine, and then the bomb radar
in the Berkley region still being quite a long way
away from even being up and running. How important is
it that we make sure that these vital pieces of

(03:40):
equipment are a there and be working.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah. Absolutely. Even though bomb doesn't fall under my portfolio,
it's incredibly important because it's an evidentiary tool that we
can use in communities who are experiencing disasters. We've invested
now a quarter of a billion dollars to upgrade a
range of those radars and flood gauges around the country

(04:05):
in high risk areas, and we've been working really closely
with state and territory governments to understand which locations need
to be prioritized. We'll continue to do that because it
is really important for communities to be able to access
as much information as possible when we've got a natural
disaster unfolding.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
Well. Christy McBain, the federal Minister for Emergency Management, will
leave it there. Thank you very much for your time
this morning.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
Good to be with you.

Speaker 1 (04:30):
Thank you