ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Australians right across the country are facing extreme and dangerous conditions, with bushfires burning in multiple states, and of course, the dangers arising from severe wet weather to our north, particularly the north-east.
As I've often said, though, at the worst of times, we're seeing once again, the best of the Australian character, and it's been good to be here at the centre to say thank you to the workers who are really protecting their fellow Victorians and fellow Australians.
We are seeing right across regional Victoria, neighbours helping neighbours and people stepping up for people that they may never have met and might never meet in the future as well, just helping each other out. And we just met just outside here, someone who travelled from Alberta, Canada, as well. People coming from overseas as well as interstate to help out.
I do want to thank all our first responders, firefighters, police, paramedics, our volunteers. We owe you our deepest gratitude.
I want to say on behalf of the Federal Government that we are working hand in hand with the Victorian Government. Together, we've got your back. We want to make sure that people know that the Government will be there at difficult times.
We've already committed up to $171 million and under the joint Commonwealth state disaster funding arrangements. And today, we're expanding our partnership with Victoria to provide an additional $158 million co-funded with Victoria. And I want to thank the Premier for the extraordinarily close working relationship that we have at times like this. This brings the total support package to $329 million between the Commonwealth and the Victorian Government.
This includes funds for clean up programs, for emergency recovery support programs to support businesses, to support local government across a range of areas. Something particularly struck me having visited Harcourt with the Premier, is the Harcourt Cool Stores being given half a million dollars to try and recover, this as a co-op that we saw firsthand, the devastation that has occurred there. In addition to that, money to help repair public land and waterways, money for recovery water tank rebates, funding across the board where it's needed, providing that support to Victorians of what has been a particularly difficult time.
I want to thank Tim for the leadership that you have shown as well. And we're going to hear from the Premier, and then from Tim, and then we'll take a few questions.
JACINTA ALLAN, PREMIER OF VICTORIA: Thank you, Prime Minister. Thank you for being here to make this announcement of ongoing and significant funding for bushfire affected communities here in Victoria. And this is really important, because it sends a really strong and clear message to those bushfire affected communities that your State Government and Federal Government are standing with you. There is a long recovery journey ahead, whilst at the same time, and we'll hear shortly from Emergency Services Commissioner Tim Wiebusch about the ongoing risk of fire in the landscape and some difficult weather conditions that are predicted for the next couple of days. But today, we're here to announce another package of support for fire affected communities. And if I, at the outset, can I thank the Prime Minister for standing with those fire affected communities, and it is also, what we're announcing today is a demonstration of how by being out on the ground, the Prime Minister and I have visited fire affected communities, as have our ministers and others, and what we're doing here today is responding to what we've heard from those communities about both the need that's needed, the support that's needed now, but also the support that is going to be needed in an ongoing way. So, I emphasise that this is in addition to the previous announcements we've made, which were very much focused on immediate relief, the hardship payments, the fodder, the fodder funding, the accommodation support.
This package today, which totals $160 million in support, taking to $375 million the support that's being immediately delivered into these fire affected communities, is focused on at this stage of the recovery. Significant component of this funding is for the clean up effort. And a lead contractor has been appointed and will work with those communities on the clean up. Really important to get as quickly as possible you can in there to start that clean up work, because that's how the recovery journey starts. It also it's incredibly stressful to see your property, your property damaged, and to have that mental health impact as well, which is why, as part of this package today as well, there is ongoing and additional mental health support, and particularly with a focus on those schools that are in fire affected communities. There's also ongoing support for a temporary accommodation as people continue to consider what their housing options will be, some will want to rebuild on their blocks. Some might want to consider other options. What we're saying here is, we know you need time, and we'll provide that support with ongoing temporary accommodation. There's a range of initiatives in what we're announcing today that speak to recovery, advice and support, ongoing case management support, business counselling, financial counselling, and also, as I've mentioned, mental health support as well.
Like the Prime Minister has mentioned, I too want to call out funding of $500,000 for the Harcourt Cooperative Cool Store. It's been, we've heard really clearly how important it is to the local community, both in terms of business support, in getting some certainty around the rebuild for this important asset in the local community, but also, it's a big and powerful symbol of the start of the rebuild. The Harcourt Cooperative Cool Store is a much loved building and landmark building in Harcourt as it is part of the economic activity in the local community. So, we heard very clearly, the four of us, when we're in Harcourt, just a day or two after the fires ripped through that beautiful country community, that this was a priority, and that's why we've identified it as part of this package of support.
There will be support ongoing. The journey is a long one, and we will stand with you. And again, I thank the Prime Minister for his and his Government's not just ongoing support, but for the very immediate way that support has been provided.
As I also hand over to our Emergency Management Commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, can I again take this opportunity to thank all of our emergency services and the volunteers we've had now many weeks of fire, and we are still not out of our summer period. We've got many weeks of summer ahead of us, and so again, it's an opportunity for me to also thank Victorians, who have been both supporting fire affected communities, donated to the Bushfire Appeal Fund, but also taken and listened to the advice. And that is, continues to be incredibly important to keep monitoring conditions. Keep tuned to the VicEmergency app that if you are told to leave and are given a message from our emergency services, please do so, because we know it's the most important way to protect your own life, but it's also too, a big and important way we all individually, can support the work of our emergency services. And also too in supporting the work of our emergency services, again, acknowledge what they've done. As at yesterday, there were eight active fires in the landscape here in Victoria, the Commissioner today will report on that number is now four, and that speaks to that huge containment effort, because a lot of, lot of land has been burnt out and continues to be under fire risk, and so it's a huge response and effort, and speaks to the work and the expertise and the skills of our emergency services. On that point, I'll ask the Commissioner to provide an update.
TIM WIEBUSCH, VICTORIAN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COMMISSIONER: Thanks Premier. Good afternoon, everyone. As we know we're now entering into our sixth day of what is an eight day extreme to severe intensity heatwave here in Victoria. For our communities in the north of the state, they are still suffering under those conditions that are in the 40s during the day and in the mid 20s overnight. The good news is there is relief on the way. The Bureau is forecasting that the cool change that will come through southern parts of the state late on Saturday will reach the North of our state during Sunday morning, and so by sunrise, we'll start to see those really hot temperatures that we've seen in the north of the state, start to abate. A state advice warning still exists for extreme heat, and so we are asking Victorians in that part of our state, whether you're holidaying or living in those areas, to make sure that you're following the key advice around staying cool, keeping hydrated and accessing those cooler places if you need to, like libraries, leisure centres and shopping centres along the way. In other good news, we haven't seen those significant power outages that we saw on the last significant day, I think, in the south of the state, which was on Tuesday. Our power companies have restored that power right across those areas that have suffered those outages. And also, our health services, including ambulance, have not seen any significant increase in presentations at this time. So I can only thank Victorians for heeding those warnings and the advice around the impacts of heat on our community, but please keep checking in on your neighbours and those that are vulnerable in your community.
In terms of our fires, we still have a State of Disaster that is in place, and as the Premier has just mentioned, in good news, we've gone from eight major fires now to four major fires that are still active at this time. Yesterday, we saw the two fires in the east of the state, being the Lake Barracoota and the Rich River fires be brought to a level that can go back to local control. And similarly, in the west of the state, the Rocklands fire and also the Larralea are now back at local control. So that leaves us with the four major fires being the Longwood fire, which is contained and it hasn't moved over the recent days with the weather conditions. And that's all credit to the firefighters on the ground that are doing such a great job at continuing to contain that fire, and then the Wonnangatta and Dargo fire in Gippsland and the Carlisle River fire in the Otways. Both of those fires really won't be safe until we see decent rain, and there is no forecast rain in the near future, but both of those fires have remaining containment lines in recent days, and we're hoping to come early next week, those fires may be deemed, in fact, contained. And similarly, with the Walwa Mount Lawson fire at the state's north east, that fire will come under pressure in the next 24 hours, again with some increased winds and still those 40 degree temperatures that I've already spoken about. But again, the crews on the ground there are doing an amazing job at building containment lines, and we are hopeful that that fire again might be brought under contained conditions early next week. But our landscape does remain very dry, and we know the Bureau is forecasting dry lightning during Saturday and the early parts of Sunday, and so we need the community to remain vigilant. If you do see flames or new fires start, then please be ringing through to Triple Zero so that we can get our fire crews onto those as soon as we possibly can.
We've had updates as well with the losses on two of our main fires, and one of those being the Walwa Mount Lawson fire. We now know that we have 14 homes that have been destroyed there, two others that have been significantly damaged, and 93 other structures that have been damaged or destroyed at that Mount Lawson Walwa fire. At the Carlisle River fire in the Otways, our impact assessment teams have now been in and done their initial sweep as well. We now know that there are nine homes that have been destroyed there, two that have also been significantly damaged, and a further 25 outbuildings that have been lost through that fire. In good news, Bowen Water has now been able to get water supply back on reticulation for the Gellibrand community, for the use of showers and toilets. The water is still not drinkable at this time, but they have now set up a potable water station in the township of Gellibrand, and we are hopeful that over the weekend, we'll be able to get residents back into the Gellibrand community. A relief centre still remains in place for those in and around the Otways fire at the Colac Showgrounds, but numbers have significantly reduced there with the opening of some of the roads yesterday and access to some of the communities, with only 24 people being there overnight.
Obviously, as the Premier and the Prime Minister have just announced a range of support measures, the best way to access those supports is through our recovery hotline, which is 1800 560 760, or through our Victorian Government website, which is vic.gov.au/bushfirerecovery, which has all the latest information and details about the many support programs that are now in place across the state. We're happy to take any questions you might have.
JOURNALIST: What was the total number of homes now that have been destroyed with the bushfires across the entire park?
COMMISSIONER WIEBUSCH: So, we've now seen just over 1,550 structures that have either been damaged or destroyed across the state. The most significant number of those have been with the Longwood Fire, where we've seen 320 homes destroyed and 19 severely damaged.
JOURNALIST: Question for the Prime Minister or the Premier. People in Carlisle River are saying they've been contacting Centrelink to try and get access to support payments and being told they're not eligible. Is there any comment on that, or what's happened there?
KRISTY MCBAIN, MINISTER FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES: There are now approximately 54 locations where the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is available. The Disaster Recovery Allowance is income support up to 13 weeks. That extends across 23 Local Government Areas, including Lake Mountain Alpine Resort. There have been new locations added after the Carlisle River fire and Gellibrand have been impacted and they'll be online and accessible in the next couple of days. But if there are any concerns, Services Australia at any of those relief centres will be able to assist you.
JOURNALIST: The fire's been going for a while now and people are quite distressed seeking those payments, to be told they're not eligible today. Can you understand how that's quite distressing?
MINISTER MCBAIN: Absolutely. I've lived this with my community in the Black Summer bushfires where, in my part of the world, we lost 465 homes. It is incredibly important that there's Federal Government and State Government assistance to people who have been directly impacted. There are a range of those suburbs that are available for assistance. But as I said, they are coming online as we get more assessments done and obviously those assessments can only be done when it's safe to enter.
JOURNALIST: Just on another matter, the New Zealand Prime Minister has declined the offer to join Donald Trump's Board of Peace. What are you going to do?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I've been focused on domestic issues, it must be said. We have a very important security relationship with the United States through AUKUS, but also through organisations such as the Quad and the bilateral relationship that we have as well. We'll give these issues due consideration, but I've got to say, the focus in the past week has been on Parliament's return, making sure that we deal with the aftermath of the Bondi terrorist attack, the health funding agreement with $25 billion of additional funding for hospitals that we're delivering right across the country as well as reforming and making sure that the NDIS is sustainable and dealing with issues such as this one. Along with, I must give a shout out to my minister, Kristy McBain, who's working very closely with her Victorian counterpart, Vicki Ward, but also to NEMA and Brendan Moon, who've been on the ground here but also on the ground in North Queensland. We're trying to deal with floods and fires at the same time. This is indeed a very difficult situation.
JOURNALIST: You mentioned a difficult situation, Prime Minister. It's only January. I see there's $160 million just for bushfire recovery in Victoria. Long term, how can we afford to keep doing this in Australia? I guess it's a big question, but it's a lot of money.
PRIME MINISTER: It is a challenge. It's a challenge for budgets of governments, but it's also a challenge for issues such as adaptation and amelioration. Australia has always had natural weather events, so you can't say any specific event is just because of climate change. What you can do, though, is say that the science told us that there would be more frequent events and they'd be more intense. That's why my Government as well as the Victorian Government and most state governments are taking action on climate change. There is a real cost, a real economic cost, but importantly as well, a human cost, what Kristy spoke about, the devastation that these communities are going through as well is just really, really tough for them and my heart goes out to people who have been directly impacted by these events.
JOURNALIST: Another question on another matter. Just out of Sydney, home care package wait times have doubled in the past financial year. How is the Labor Government going to reduce this?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we've done, it's the biggest reforms in aged care that we have seen this century, literally. So, we're dealing with an increased pressure in the aged care system as we have an ageing in the population. We are dealing with that through the reforms that only passed the Parliament at the end of 2024, and we have a comprehensive plan to both deal with aged care residences, but also to deal with home care packages as well.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, states signed off on the National Health Reform Agreement and Thriving Kids reform, but can I ask whether the NDIS reforms included an increase in the state contributions to the NDIS? From 4 to 8 per cent by mid-2028 is absolutely locked in with states? And what do you say to concerns the $4 billion investment for Thriving Kids isn't nearly enough?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, is the answer to the first question. In terms of the state contributions being 8 per cent for the period of this agreement. Thriving Kids will start this year. It will fully come into implementation on 1 January 2028. We are dealing with these challenges. The NDIS has a lot more than the figure that you raised in it as well. We want to make sure that people are getting the support that they need, but that it's appropriate as well, and that is why we need to reform the system so that it's sustainable so that it continues to provide that support that people need.
JOURNALIST: One just for the Premier quickly, if that's okay. Just on the funding announcement, I understand these are --
PREMIER ALLAN: Which funding announcements?
JOURNALIST: The one we're here for, the community relief packages. I understand those are relief packages for communities. Does the state government have any plans to announce any additional grants for CFA fire trucks after the reported ageing state of their fleet, specifically for that?
PREMIER ALLAN: Through the increased funding we have provided to the CFA, the amount of funding as demonstrated in the latest annual report shows that we have increased funding to the CFA. And also too, as a result through the investments we can make from the emergency services levy, we are investing in more equipment, more trucks, more stations as a result of that additional investment. When it comes to those fire trucks, I know how important it is to CFA volunteers to have access to the latest of equipment. When the PM and I were on the fire ground in Harcourt on the Sunday after the fires, I caught up with one of my local brigades who were driving the vehicle that I'd handed the keys to just a couple of months earlier. So, we've already put significant numbers of additional vehicles out into the field. Something like I think 89, there's more on the production line. But importantly too, we've got a $40 million rolling fleet replacement pipeline ahead of us. Because we know that this is a priority for CFA volunteers. We know that they need modern and latest equipment, which is why we continue to invest in the CFA and thank them for the work they do.
JOURNALIST: Just very quickly on the public funding, that deal struck today, are you happy with the funding?
PREMIER ALLAN: The health one? Look, I want to thank the Prime Minister for the collaborative way he has worked with all the state and territory governments to get the result that we were able to announce earlier today in Sydney. And this is an outcome that you get when you're focused on working people and families across the country who need our governments working together, being focused on them and understanding that access to good quality public healthcare is so important to Australian families and working people. And that collaborative approach, we've seen it here in the fire recovery with the Prime Minister. We saw it too with the agreement across both the health and disability sectors of funding. These are vitally important areas for families in our community. So, the additional funding will go directly to providing more points of care for patients, whether they're in the hospital system, the Federal Government substantially increased funding in the primary care system. Let's remember this came after a decade of neglect from the former Liberal-National government who almost brought the system to its needs. And not only did it need additional funding from the Federal Government, but it also placed huge pressure on state-run hospital systems. So, the fact that we've been able to work collaboratively together with a focus on the outcome, which is more services for working people and families who rely on access to good quality public health care.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much.