Radio Interview – 6PR Mornings With Gary Adshead
GARY ADSHEAD, HOST: The Prime Minister is in Broome about to get on a plane. He joins me now. Thanks very much for your time, Prime Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, people are doing it really tough. We know that. And I’ve met this morning already with Pat Dodson, of course, our Senator who’s based in Broome, who will be travelling out with myself and Murray Watt, the Minister, but also with the WA Premier Mark McGowan and Stephen Dawson, the State Minister, to see for ourselves on the ground the impact that this is having. This is at least a one in one hundred year event. They haven’t seen anything like this, certainly that anyone can ever recall. We’ve seen major flooding along the Fitzroy River to Fitzroy Crossing. I’ve seen photos of the bridge there into Fitzroy Crossing, and it’s just gone like that the road has just dissipated. So, quite clearly, there’s going to be massive infrastructure investment required. There will also be required support for individuals. And that support needs to be not just financial, of course, but we need to bear in mind the need for counselling and support as well. People will be devastated by the experience that they’ve gone through in recent days,
ADSHEAD: Obviously a very isolated area anyway, are you concerned about how long people may be cut off because of these waters and the infrastructure damage?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it is an issue. One of the the issues that Senator Dodson was raising with me is a number of the smaller communities, particularly Indigenous communities, located around Fitzroy Crossing, and the fact that for many of those, they’ve been isolated and cut off from each other. And we need to make sure that they’re given support as well. There are a couple of hundred people at one stage were staying in the emergency accommodation that has been established here at the community centre. This is a devastating impact. We’re seeing far too much of it, I’m afraid. I’ve now been to Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and now WA, in the relatively short time that I’ve been Prime Minister looking at these events, talking about a one-in-one-hundred year event over and over again. Well, they’re happening more regularly. And the impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie has been devastating. It’s gone right across, even into the Northern Territory. We’ll be announcing significant support today: support for emergency assistance, support for people with their temporary living expenses who’ve been put out of their homes, $10,000 grants for housing repairs and replacement, up to $10,000 grants for replacement of essential items in in homes that have been impacted as well. And I just do want to give a shout out, I’ve been meeting this morning with many of the emergency service workers who’ve come up here from Perth. And once again, we’re seeing at the worst of times the best of humanity, people who are just taking enormous effort to help their fellow Australians.
ADSHEAD: Prime Minister, obviously you are going to go up there and make that announcement around assistance funding now. Have you been told and advised on sort of what sort of money you’re looking at in terms of rebuilding bridges and so on? Or is it too early to tell?
PRIME MINISTER: It’s too early, but we know that the bill will be substantial and my Government is committed to providing whatever support that we can in partnership with the WA Government, but also local government, working with communities to make sure that the rebuilding occurs as quickly as possible. It’s difficult doing infrastructure in in some of these areas as well, they’re remote, they’re difficult to get into in some cases. We know the Great Northern Highway has been cut as well and there’ll be substantial investment required there. That is the major artery heading north in the great state of Western Australia, but also across to the Northern Territory. It certainly will be a very large figure, we would expect. But the important thing is to make sure that we get it right. And my Government’s determined to do that.
ADSHEAD: And one of the reasons I think you’ll be getting on a small plane very soon is the issue of large aircraft landing at Fitzroy because the damage to the runway there, obviously half of it’s still underwater. Is that going to be an ongoing problem? Because clearly, that town’s going to need to be supplied on a regular basis without being able to get Air Force planes in.
PRIME MINISTER: One of the things that’s also occurring is that there are more than 100 defence personnel on the ground already. And we have ensured that two Spartan aircraft and one Hercules transport aircraft have been made available to evacuate residents. As we speak, there are three choppers on their way over from Townsville. It takes a while to get here because they have to refuel. But they’ll be here to provide support as well, at the request of the WA Government. I will continue to talk with the Premier. We will be on the ground together, today. I think is really important to send that message that governments work together at times like this. That’s what people want to see. And that’s what we’ll deliver.
ADSHEAD: And just finally, I know in speaking to the Shire President, one thing they cannot determine, they’ve seen live cattle being washed up on streets. But the stock loss is supposedly unknown at the moment, of course, but very, very devastating. Is there anything in the funding relief for those farmers, those station owners who could have lost their livelihood?
PRIME MINISTER: We will certainly have a look at the support that is required for our primary producers. We provide a range of support, including interest rate subsidies and other support for people to get back on their feet. And one of the reasons why Murray Watt is here as the Minister not just for Emergency Services, but also for Agriculture, is to speak to people on the ground. It’s unknown at this point in time. We know that there are substantial cattle producers present on either side of the river. And one can expect that there will be quite considerable losses.
ADSHEAD: Prime Minister, I’ll let you get on that plane. Appreciate your time. Good luck.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Gary.