CYCLONE SEROJA — DISASTER RECOVERY FUNDING
ARRANGEMENTS
7. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Emergency Services:
I would also like to add my
congratulations to you, Madam Speaker, and also to the member for Forrestfield
for his appointment as Deputy Speaker. I also note the kind comments of the
Deputy Premier.
I refer to the devastation caused by
tropical cyclone Seroja across communities in the midwest and the northern
wheatbelt regions. Has the state government written to the federal government
seeking category C and D funding under the national disaster recovery funding
arrangements; and, if not, why not?
Mr R.R.
WHITBY replied:
I also congratulate Madam Speaker
and the Deputy Speaker on their appointments, everyone who has been elected to
new roles in this place and, indeed, everyone who has been re-elected and
elected. It is a very special thing to be in this chamber.
I thank the member for the question.
I just want to say that this event was incredibly devastating. It impacted on
the member for Moore's community and that of the members for North West
Central and Geraldton. All members, including
upper house members, had contact with me before the cyclone hit that fateful
Sunday evening and in the immediate days afterwards. It was a measure of
the combined attitude of Western Australians, and indeed Australians, in how we
responded to that emergency.
It was a devastating event. As the
member would be aware, a cyclone of that devastating power is incredibly rare,
as it was one probably not seen for about 50 to 60 years. Indeed, not many cyclones
come that far south down the coast. It packed a real punch when it crossed the
coast with 170-kilometre-an-hour winds. We were very fortunate. As devastating as the impact was on Kalbarri,
Northampton and other smaller centres as we move inland, the cyclone
tracked to an area north of Geraldton. If it had hit Geraldton, the impact
would have been quite extensive and we would have been talking about thousands
and thousands of homes and people affected.
As the member would be aware, the
disaster recovery assistance funding arrangements with the federal government
have now swung into action. It has been declared that the event will come under
that funding category. Of course, that opens the door to a whole series of
levels of funding. The member would be aware that funding under categories A
and B has now been implemented, which means immediate support for individuals
whose house was blown away and who need food, shelter and clothing. Their needs
are being met. Category B funding provides assistance for public assets. Items
such as roads and bridges are not normally insured, and some very constructive
conversations have been had with the federal government. I went to the midwest
on no fewer than four occasions in the week
after this event. I visited with the Premier, the Prime Minister and the
Governor-General. When I visited with
the Prime Minister, I managed to have a conversation with him. I can tell
members that from that conversation, I learnt that the Prime Minister
and the federal government are very much engaged in supporting Western Australia
and working cooperatively with those funding arrangements.
The member spoke about category C
arrangements that can open up funding for primary producers and small
businesses. To a certain extent, small businesses and primary producers have
already been assisted in the ways I talked
about through the category A and B funding arrangements. We have appointed a State
Recovery Controller, Melissa Pexton, who is incredibly talented and fit
for this role. She comes from an emergency services background in the
Department of Fire and Emergency Services, and also has a background in local
government. She is known to the CEOs of many of those small communities
throughout the midwest and she has hit the ground running. She was appointed on
a Thursday and on Friday she was on the ground in Perenjori with me visiting
outlying farms and homesteads that had their roofs peeled off. We heard
incredible stories of survival.
Having said that, we have an ongoing process with the disaster
recovery coordinator, who is looking at the funding arrangements with her
federal counterpart. I have been in touch with the federal Minister for
Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management. There is a level of cooperation
with the federal government. This is a joint arrangement. We do not have total
control; we work in concert with the federal government. We are currently
negotiating in terms of those category C arrangements to see what other support
may be available. I hope to be able to enlighten members in the weeks and
months ahead. This is a long journey. The immediate response has been swift and
impressive.
While I am on my feet, I want to
thank the hundreds and hundreds of emergency responders, both career and
volunteer, and indeed the presence of crews from interstate as well. The
response to this disaster from right across Western Australia and Australia has
been extraordinary. In that spirit, we will see more cooperation and we will
have more to say about that assistance in coming weeks and months.