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The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
'We look after each other': Prime Minister tours flood-ravaged towns and farms
"At the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character, and we see that on display here in this local community," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a visit to the flood-ravaged towns of Taree and Wingham and surrounding farms. Mr Albanaese visited the NSW region on May 27 to witness first-hand the devastating damage to the area, and to talk with members of the community and farmers who have been affected by the disaster, as well as volunteers helping with the cleanup. An inspection of The Bight Bridge in Wingham, which was destroyed in the flooding of the Manning River, was also on the agenda for Mr Albanese and his entourage. Joining Mr Albanese at the press conference following the tour were federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain, state Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin, Member Elect for Lyne Alison Penfold, Metaer for Myall Lakes Tanya Thompson, Emily Suvaal MLC, MidCoast Council mayor Claire Pontin, NSW SES Commissioner Michael Wassing, and Acting CEO of NSW Reconstruction Authority Mal Lanyon APM. Mr Albanese began by thanking the people who talked with him. He mentioned farmers Rod and Milton welcomed Mr Albanese onto their farms. "The loss of stock and the devastation we have witnessed first-hand has been only exceeded by the extraordinary resilience that these Australians are showing," Mr Albanese said. Mr Albanese acknowledged that the damage done to farms and the loss of cattle will affect every Australian because of the damage to the dairy industry, and the impact that will have on the local economy. He made special mention of people helping our community during and in the aftermath of the floods. "Whether it's the Australian Defence Force, who arrived today with 70 personnel, the people from DRA - there'll be 100 here by the end of the week - the magnificent people from the SES and the other volunteers as well, this is the best of community spirit," Mr Albanese said. "That says a lot of the Australian ethos, of who we are. We look after each other in difficult times, we don't leave people behind. "Every level of government, every level of Australian society, stands with this community." Mr Albanese also acknowledged that the long road recovery has only just begun and that it will take a long time. Mr Albanese went on to outline financial help available to people who have been affected by the floods, including the Australian government Disaster Recovery Payment for people who have suffered the most severe impact, the extension of the Disaster Recovery Allowance for income support for people who can't attend work or are self employed and unable to earn an income, Personal Hardship Payments, support for disaster-affected councils for cleanup and repairing damage, and Primary Producers and Small Business support. Mr Albanese acknowledged that with these supports, there will be more needed. However, at this stage the focus is on immediate assistance. "At the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character, and we see that on display here in this local community," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a visit to the flood-ravaged towns of Taree and Wingham and surrounding farms. Mr Albanaese visited the NSW region on May 27 to witness first-hand the devastating damage to the area, and to talk with members of the community and farmers who have been affected by the disaster, as well as volunteers helping with the cleanup. An inspection of The Bight Bridge in Wingham, which was destroyed in the flooding of the Manning River, was also on the agenda for Mr Albanese and his entourage. Joining Mr Albanese at the press conference following the tour were federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain, state Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin, Member Elect for Lyne Alison Penfold, Metaer for Myall Lakes Tanya Thompson, Emily Suvaal MLC, MidCoast Council mayor Claire Pontin, NSW SES Commissioner Michael Wassing, and Acting CEO of NSW Reconstruction Authority Mal Lanyon APM. Mr Albanese began by thanking the people who talked with him. He mentioned farmers Rod and Milton welcomed Mr Albanese onto their farms. "The loss of stock and the devastation we have witnessed first-hand has been only exceeded by the extraordinary resilience that these Australians are showing," Mr Albanese said. Mr Albanese acknowledged that the damage done to farms and the loss of cattle will affect every Australian because of the damage to the dairy industry, and the impact that will have on the local economy. He made special mention of people helping our community during and in the aftermath of the floods. "Whether it's the Australian Defence Force, who arrived today with 70 personnel, the people from DRA - there'll be 100 here by the end of the week - the magnificent people from the SES and the other volunteers as well, this is the best of community spirit," Mr Albanese said. "That says a lot of the Australian ethos, of who we are. We look after each other in difficult times, we don't leave people behind. "Every level of government, every level of Australian society, stands with this community." Mr Albanese also acknowledged that the long road recovery has only just begun and that it will take a long time. Mr Albanese went on to outline financial help available to people who have been affected by the floods, including the Australian government Disaster Recovery Payment for people who have suffered the most severe impact, the extension of the Disaster Recovery Allowance for income support for people who can't attend work or are self employed and unable to earn an income, Personal Hardship Payments, support for disaster-affected councils for cleanup and repairing damage, and Primary Producers and Small Business support. Mr Albanese acknowledged that with these supports, there will be more needed. However, at this stage the focus is on immediate assistance. "At the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character, and we see that on display here in this local community," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a visit to the flood-ravaged towns of Taree and Wingham and surrounding farms. Mr Albanaese visited the NSW region on May 27 to witness first-hand the devastating damage to the area, and to talk with members of the community and farmers who have been affected by the disaster, as well as volunteers helping with the cleanup. An inspection of The Bight Bridge in Wingham, which was destroyed in the flooding of the Manning River, was also on the agenda for Mr Albanese and his entourage. Joining Mr Albanese at the press conference following the tour were federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain, state Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin, Member Elect for Lyne Alison Penfold, Metaer for Myall Lakes Tanya Thompson, Emily Suvaal MLC, MidCoast Council mayor Claire Pontin, NSW SES Commissioner Michael Wassing, and Acting CEO of NSW Reconstruction Authority Mal Lanyon APM. Mr Albanese began by thanking the people who talked with him. He mentioned farmers Rod and Milton welcomed Mr Albanese onto their farms. "The loss of stock and the devastation we have witnessed first-hand has been only exceeded by the extraordinary resilience that these Australians are showing," Mr Albanese said. Mr Albanese acknowledged that the damage done to farms and the loss of cattle will affect every Australian because of the damage to the dairy industry, and the impact that will have on the local economy. He made special mention of people helping our community during and in the aftermath of the floods. "Whether it's the Australian Defence Force, who arrived today with 70 personnel, the people from DRA - there'll be 100 here by the end of the week - the magnificent people from the SES and the other volunteers as well, this is the best of community spirit," Mr Albanese said. "That says a lot of the Australian ethos, of who we are. We look after each other in difficult times, we don't leave people behind. "Every level of government, every level of Australian society, stands with this community." Mr Albanese also acknowledged that the long road recovery has only just begun and that it will take a long time. Mr Albanese went on to outline financial help available to people who have been affected by the floods, including the Australian government Disaster Recovery Payment for people who have suffered the most severe impact, the extension of the Disaster Recovery Allowance for income support for people who can't attend work or are self employed and unable to earn an income, Personal Hardship Payments, support for disaster-affected councils for cleanup and repairing damage, and Primary Producers and Small Business support. Mr Albanese acknowledged that with these supports, there will be more needed. However, at this stage the focus is on immediate assistance. "At the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character, and we see that on display here in this local community," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese during a visit to the flood-ravaged towns of Taree and Wingham and surrounding farms. Mr Albanaese visited the NSW region on May 27 to witness first-hand the devastating damage to the area, and to talk with members of the community and farmers who have been affected by the disaster, as well as volunteers helping with the cleanup. An inspection of The Bight Bridge in Wingham, which was destroyed in the flooding of the Manning River, was also on the agenda for Mr Albanese and his entourage. Joining Mr Albanese at the press conference following the tour were federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain, state Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin, Member Elect for Lyne Alison Penfold, Metaer for Myall Lakes Tanya Thompson, Emily Suvaal MLC, MidCoast Council mayor Claire Pontin, NSW SES Commissioner Michael Wassing, and Acting CEO of NSW Reconstruction Authority Mal Lanyon APM. Mr Albanese began by thanking the people who talked with him. He mentioned farmers Rod and Milton welcomed Mr Albanese onto their farms. "The loss of stock and the devastation we have witnessed first-hand has been only exceeded by the extraordinary resilience that these Australians are showing," Mr Albanese said. Mr Albanese acknowledged that the damage done to farms and the loss of cattle will affect every Australian because of the damage to the dairy industry, and the impact that will have on the local economy. He made special mention of people helping our community during and in the aftermath of the floods. "Whether it's the Australian Defence Force, who arrived today with 70 personnel, the people from DRA - there'll be 100 here by the end of the week - the magnificent people from the SES and the other volunteers as well, this is the best of community spirit," Mr Albanese said. "That says a lot of the Australian ethos, of who we are. We look after each other in difficult times, we don't leave people behind. "Every level of government, every level of Australian society, stands with this community." Mr Albanese also acknowledged that the long road recovery has only just begun and that it will take a long time. Mr Albanese went on to outline financial help available to people who have been affected by the floods, including the Australian government Disaster Recovery Payment for people who have suffered the most severe impact, the extension of the Disaster Recovery Allowance for income support for people who can't attend work or are self employed and unable to earn an income, Personal Hardship Payments, support for disaster-affected councils for cleanup and repairing damage, and Primary Producers and Small Business support. Mr Albanese acknowledged that with these supports, there will be more needed. However, at this stage the focus is on immediate assistance.
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Climate
- Sky News AU
Dozens of ADF personnel to assist recovery efforts in flood affected NSW Mid North Coast communities after PM confirms additional support
Dozens of Australian Defence Force personnel are being deployed to the New South Wales Mid North Coast to help with recovery efforts in flood-affected communities. Anthony Albanese confirmed on Monday that the federal government was providing on the ground clean-up support, in addition to financial assistance for residents. The Prime Minister made the announcement from the national situation room in Canberra ahead of a visit back to communities devastated by last week's deadly flooding. "From tomorrow, we will have 70 Australian Defence Force personnel on the ground in the Mid North Coast, helping with recovery, helping with clean-up as well," he said. "As well as that, there'll be a team from Disaster Relief Australia, 25 initially. There'll be 100 personnel from DRA on the ground by the end of this week to provide assistance. "They will be involved in clean-up, in debris removal, in welfare checks and re-establishing critical infrastructure that is so important for these communities." The government previously said residents most severely impacted by the flooding would have access to the Disaster Recovery Allowance, with other financial support offered. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance is up to 13 weeks of income support for those who've lost work due to this event in the four most severely affected local government areas," Mr Albanese said. "Eligible individuals can apply from 2pm today through the myGov app or through the Services Australia website. The personal hardship payments are going out, $180 for eligible adults and up to $900 per family in the 19 affected local government areas. "The community recovery support fund is immediately available - $1 million for these 19 councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and repairing damage and that funding is available immediately. "For primary producers and small businesses, concessional rate loans, as well as freight subsidies to help transport livestock and fodder will be available as well. We'll continue to monitor what is necessary and we will ensure that the government does have your back if you're in these affected communities." The 19 council areas include Armidale, Bellingen, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Walcha. Mr Albanese visited Maitland in the Hunter Valley on Friday to meet with SES personnel and provide an update on the floods but said he will travel further north to where the flooding was most severe. "Tomorrow, I'll travel to visit affected communities, and to see first hand again what the impact is having," he said. "Can I say for those people who've lost loved ones, my heart goes out to you. "This is a devastating impact and we need to... continually remind people, if it's flooded, forget it. Do not take risks. There are still risks out there." Five people died in the flooding disaster. Tens of thousands of residents were cut off and left without electricity, while initial estimates indicate 10,000 properties have been damaged by the floods, which most severely impacted Taree and areas around Port Macquarie. "Unfortunately, we are getting far too much experience in dealing with extreme weather events. The science told us that there would be more frequent events and that they would be more intense," Mr Albanese said. "That is what we are seeing playing out with the devastating impact on communities, most significantly a devastating human impact with five lives lost during this event, but also a significant environmental impact and of course, a significant economic impact as well."
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Epoch Times
Up to 13 Weeks' Pay for Workers Stranded by NSW Floods
As devastating floods continue to impact New South Wales, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed financial support for affected workers and praised the government's coordinated emergency response to the crisis. The Disaster Recovery Allowance would be available from 2 p.m. May 26, in the Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Mid Coast, and Dungog local government areas. The allowance provides income support for employees and sole traders unable to work due to disaster-related impacts, including access issues and property damage. Speaking to Sydney radio station 2GB, Albanese said the federal government was working closely with state and local authorities. 'There's seamless activity across the three levels of government, working with agencies and working with the SES, the Rural Fire Service, and everyone else,' he said. He later visited Maitland with NSW Premier Chris Minns, where he acknowledged the scale of the damage. Related Stories 5/22/2025 5/21/2025 'Some of the extraordinary footage of cattle and livestock are being impacted by this as well,' he said. ADF helicopters have also rescued more than a dozen people. An aerial photo shows NSW Fire Rescue personnel assisting an elderly resident during flooding in Port Macquarie, New South Wales on May 22, 2025. A slow-moving trough is dumping rain along the east coast of Australia, leaving thousands of people stranded AAP Image/Lindsay Moller 'The chopper has been rescuing people for the last 48 hours,' he said. He said while immediate rescue efforts were ongoing, a long recovery would follow. 'There's going to be a big recovery effort required. There's been massive damage to infrastructure and we're going to have to really all pitch i,' he said. 'Tragically, these events are becoming more frequent and more intense, but we're a resilient bunch, Australians. And that's precisely what we are seeing now.' More Rain Forecast as Toll Climbs Meanwhile, a fourth person has been confirmed dead, and another remains missing in the record floods along the NSW Mid North Coast. Thousands are without power as the weather system moves south, bringing expected heavy rain to the Hunter, Sydney and South Coast regions. The SES has responded to more than 1,500 calls for help and carried out over 300 flood rescues in the past 24 hours. Residents Urged to Stay Informed The Prime Minister encouraged residents in affected areas to monitor warnings and follow instructions from authorities. He urged people to download the Hazards Near Me app or visit for real-time updates. 'Listen to the advice, make sure you log on to the relevant sites and keep informed if you're in these communities,' he said. This federal assistance provides up to 13 weeks of salary for sole traders and employees unable to work due to access issues caused by the floods. So far, disaster assistance has been activated across 16 local government areas, with broader recovery support to follow.
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Prime Minister visits the Hunter to tell flood victims 'you are not alone'
In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." In the midst of flooding, evacuations, and isolations up through the Hunter and the Mid North Coast region, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Maitland to tell people "you are not alone". "Our thoughts are with communities that are cut off at this point in time," Mr Albanese said. "The federal government, state government, local government, and the whole people of NSW and the people of Australia are with you at this time," he said. Along with NSW Premier Chris Minns and NSW SES Commissioner Mike Wassing, the Prime Minister stopped by Maitland after attempting to travel to the flood-affected Taree area earlier in the day. Dangerous weather conditions forced the PM to cancel the trip. "Tragically, we are seeing more extreme weather events and they're occurring more frequently and they're more intense," Mr Albanese said. "A shout out to the SES and the wonderful volunteers, these people are heroes, they are helping their neighbours, they're helping their community but they're also helping people from other parts of NSW," he said. The Prime Minister urged people in flooded areas to follow the warnings and advice given from the SES and police and other emergency services. "If it's flooded, forget it," he said. In addition to the 16 local government areas that had been approved for disaster assistance, Mr Albanese said three extra local government areas were added to the list, one being Muswellbrook. "Disaster recovery will commence as soon as possible," Mr Albanese said. "At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character and just a shout out to all those who are providing incredible support and assistance," he said. "We know this is an incredibly tough time, and the heart of Australians goes out to those people who are going through this difficult period." NSW Premier Chris Minns said he wanted to thank people for their resilience during a difficult period. "We're very grateful for the incidents of heroism and courage that we have seen over the last three days," he said. Mr Minns said personal hardship assistant grants of $180 per individual or $900 per family would be available as soon as possible. Community recovery grants of $1 million will also be available to the affected councils soon. Earlier today, Mr Albanese revealed government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods would begin flowing on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made."
The Advertiser
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
'Horrific circumstances': PM reveals when Hunter flood funding flows
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made." Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says government funding for the 'horrific' Hunter floods will begin flowing next week. The Hunter and Mid North Coast have been declared natural disaster zones by the state and federal governments, which will unlock a range of rapid relief for those affected from 2pm on Monday. "These are horrific circumstances," Mr Albanese told Triple M Newcastle. "The Disaster Recovery Allowance will be available from Monday afternoon, so people can log on to the MyGov site to access that. "What that does is provide for 13 weeks of pay for employees, for sole traders, people who are self-employed and can't therefore undertake their work." Mr Albanese drove through the Hunter this morning, catching a helicopter from Cessnock with Premier Chris Minns, to visit flood-ravaged Taree. The flood death toll has now hit four and the Prime Minister begged people to stop driving through flood waters. "It is just heartbreaking what has occurred... please do not drive through floodwaters - if it's flooded, forget it," he said Mr Albanese said was hesitant to point the finger solely at climate change for the unusual weather pattern that dumped between 600mm and 700mm on the region, but acknowledged it may have played a role. "Now, every weather event can't be traced down specifically to climate change because there's always been extreme weather events in Australia," he told ABC Newcastle. "But what you can say is that the science told us they'd be more frequent and more intense and that's precisely what is happening, which is why my government is taking it so seriously." The Prime Minister also said the government was conscious of the rising cost of insurance due to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, and was working to with Insurance Council Australia. "We're continuing to make sure that we do what we can to make sure that insurance claims are dealt with in an expeditious way," he said. "It's not easy to just solve all of the issues of rising insurance costs because the costs relate to the number of claims that are made."
