Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain has been on the ground in disaster-affected areas across Australia. Photo: James Coleman.
The National Emergency Management Agency, based in Canberra, has been in overdrive the past week as extreme and dangerous weather conditions affect much of the country.
With bushfires in multiple states, a heatwave, and floods in Far North Queensland, the NEMA is coordinating national emergency responses on numerous levels.
Coordinator-General Brendan Moon addressed the media over the weekend, saying his agency’s immediate focus had been bringing fires under control and conducting initial damage assessments.
“At a Commonwealth level, we have briefed all Commonwealth agencies to ensure they have situational awareness and they are working very, very closely with their state counterparts that they are able to provide immediate support to any state government that calls for support,” he said.
“The National Emergency Management Agency has its crisis coordination teams embedded within the state emergency management arrangements and they are providing support as we speak.
We have the National Emergency Management stockpile on standby, ready to support any request from the states.
“And as I’ve also touched on, our national aerial firefighting assets are right now providing support to those firefighting agencies who are working really, really hard at this particular point in time to ensure their communities are safe.”
Fires have claimed at least one life, with human remains found on Sunday (11 January) just 100 metres from a car in a bushfire-ravaged area in central Victoria.
Anthony Albanese has visited bushfire-affected areas in central Victoria, where more than 300 structures have been destroyed, including about 80 homes, and 350,000 hectares of bushland have been burned.
The Prime Minister announced disaster recovery funding totalling $19.5 million would be provided jointly with the state government.
“And I also thank those people from the National Emergency Management Agency who’ve been here on the ground, the National Aerial Firefighting Fleet that we established, making a difference, meaning that action can be done quicker than it was a number of years ago because of those resources, because of the coordination, and because of the planning that goes into events,” he said.
“There was a national planning mechanism where we brought together all emergency management services in Canberra once again to go through these, to war game effectively, what would happen when there were incidents.
“And today, tragically, there are multiple incidents that are very varied – the opposite indeed. The last time I was here at this centre, we were dealing with floods. Now here we’re dealing with fires.
“But in Far North Queensland they’re dealing with the consequences of flooding and a cyclone event.”
Visiting the NEMA in Canberra on Saturday (10 January), the PM noted that much of the country was facing dangerous weather conditions.
He stressed the need for people to listen to the advice as it comes through and leave their properties if asked to.
“My thoughts are with Australians in these regional communities at this very difficult time. Once again, I remind people to follow the advice of authorities,” Mr Albanese said.
“This is a time where Australians are once again, showing that at the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character. We see volunteers helping their fellow Australians.
“We see the Rural Fire Service, we see emergency services, police, we also see our federal authorities, particularly the National Emergency Management Agency here in Canberra, coordinating activity and making such a positive difference since its establishment just a few years ago.”
Along with disaster relief over the Victorian bushfires, the government is activating financial assistance for Queenslanders impacted by the Northern Queensland floods.
From 2 pm local time on Tuesday (13 January), Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) will be available for eligible people in the 11 local government areas.
They are the shire of Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Croydon, Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire, Etheridge, Flinders, McKinlay, Richmond, Winton, and Mount Isa City.
“Floodwaters and road closures have prevented entire communities from being able to travel to their workplace or open their businesses,” she said.
“When they are no longer isolated, they still need to get on with the job of cleaning up.
“While Queenslanders are tough, our government is stepping up to give them a hand where it’s needed most.”
Services Australia will coordinate the processing of payments.
Original Article published by Chris Johnson on Region Canberra.
