CYCLONE SEROJA — TEMPORARY HOUSING
159. Hon STEVE MARTIN to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to the recovery effort in
areas of the midwest affected by cyclone Seroja.
(1) Is the
minister aware of how many temporary homes are required to house people who
lost their homes in cyclone Seroja or have moved to the area to assist in the
rebuilding process?
(2) Can the minister advise how much
of that housing has been delivered?
(3) If the
available temporary housing is not sufficient, when will the minister deliver
the necessary housing?
Hon
SAMANTHA ROWE replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) To
date, a total of 19 households—49 people—have requested
accommodation assistance. All these households have been provided with
temporary emergency accommodation. Currently, a total of three households—10 people—continue to
be supported in temporary accommodation. Under the state emergency management
arrangements, consideration around reconstruction efforts, including workforce
accommodation, is the responsibility of the State Recovery Controller
and relevant local government authorities.
The
Department of Communities, through the State Recovery Controller, is working
with local governments to provide
outreach and case management services to affected communities and to identify
any immediate or emerging welfare needs. Additionally, the Insurance Commission
of Australia is assisting local governments in assessing the breadth of
damage and number of uninsured households.
(3) Housing
demand is anticipated to change over time, as issues emerge. The State Recovery
Controller is working with local government authorities, community members and
state and federal agencies to develop a number of recovery packages to ensure
that the medium-to-long-term housing needs of affected communities are
addressed.