The Albanese Government is expanding financial assistance for communities in the New South Wales Hunter and Mid North Coast regions impacted by the devastating floods – activating the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and extending the Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA).
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the first meeting of the new Cabinet of this Parliament. We had a full Ministry meeting after the inauguration there at Government House and this Cabinet has a big job to do. Last Friday, I was there on the upper Hunter, looking and talking with some of the heroes. Our SES volunteers, people from marine rescue, other places, helping their fellow Australians.
JOE BUFFONE, NEMA DEPUTY COORDINATOR-GENERAL: Good morning all. My name's Joe Buffone. I'm one of the Deputy Coordinator-Generals here at NEMA. We've just briefed the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Emergency Management on the current situation. Pretty much, the focus at the moment is now currently on a severe cold front that's coming through South Australia, through Victoria, impacting on eastern and southern New South Wales. The main focus there is about wind, and the concern is about many trees going down.
The Albanese Government is standing with communities impacted by devastating floods in the Hunter and Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, with further support activated to help people get back on their feet.
From Tuesday 27th May, Australian Defence Force personnel alongside members of Disaster Relief Australia will be deployed to support New South Wales authorities with clearance, clean up and early recovery operations.
CHRIS MINNS, PREMIER OF NEW SOUTH WALES: Thanks, everybody, for being here. It's important that you're here this afternoon. Very appreciative to have the Prime Minister alongside Commissioner Wassing, Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib, local MPs, federal MPs, to talk about the devastation over the last three days. A couple of things I'd like to say. Firstly, the weather that has brought such devastation and enormous anxiety to the local community is moving south, which is good news. However, we need to report that there are still 39 emergency warnings still in place.
FIONA POOLE, HOST: The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, joins us now. Prime Minister, thanks for being with us.
MARK LEVY, HOST: Let's catch up with the Prime Minister. Right now, as I've mentioned, he's on his way to the flood affected areas of the Mid North Coast. He's on the line right now. Prime Minister, good morning to you.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: G' day, Mark. Good to be with you but sorry about the circumstances. I understand you just spoke to the Premier. I'm just waiting where we're about to meet up in a short period of time before we travel together to go to Taree.
ANNOUNCER: This is Tanya and Steve. We hear our Prime Minister isn't the biggest fan of Phil Collins.
STEVE GRAHAM, HOST: Yeah, well, you know, he goes, all right, but there's a couple of songs we can’t stand.
TANYA WILKS, HOST: Prime Minister, good morning.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Sorry about that, I've outed myself there.
PAUL TURTON, HOST: The catastrophic flooding across New South Wales, of course, that has impacted on so many communities, including here in the Hunter, will of course require a substantial response from all levels of government. The Prime Minister has already taken steps to address the crisis and joins me now. Prime Minister Albanese, thanks for coming on today. Good morning.
RICHARD KING, HOST: It's all hands on deck, including our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who I believe is on the way to our area. And the Prime Minister is on the line. Good morning, Prime Minister.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good morning, Richard. Good to be with you, but sorry about the circumstances of this visit to the Hunter and the Mid North Coast.
KING: Yeah. You're headed our way this morning, I believe, Prime Minister?