PM: I'm here today to make an announcement about assistance for Australians who are doing it tough as the nation battles floodwaters. Already as Prime Minister I have triggered the payment of emergency money to Australians who are doing it tough - the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment. That's the emergency money of $1,000 per adult, $400 per child, for people who find themselves in circumstances like in an evacuation centre because their home has been flooded. Already we've received over 8,000 claims for that emergency assistance and over $10 million has been paid.
In addition, working with state governments, with premiers around the country, Premier Bligh and Premier Barnett, we have triggered payments under the Natural Disaster Relief Arrangements. Those payments have also been triggered in New South Wales with Premier Keneally. They are the payments which enable people to get some assistance when they return to flooded homes to replace household contents, the payments that enable small businesses and primary producers to get some clean up money and the assistance which enables small businesses and primary producers to get access to concessional loans as they rebuild following flood waters.
Today I announce a further assistance measure - this is the Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy. This measure is to assist people who are not able to do their normal income-earning work and get their normal income because of flood and disaster circumstances.
So, to just take some examples of that, it could be a truck driver who's stood down because the mine in which he or she works isn't working because of floodwaters. It could be a small business person, maybe someone who owns and operates a coffee shop and they are in a flood-affected area, their coffee shop is flooded and not working. It could be a farmer who is not earning their ordinary income because they can't get their produce to market because roads are cut.
This payment has been triggered in earlier natural disasters. For example, it was triggered in the wake of Cyclone Larry, and also in the wake of the very devastating bushfires in Victoria.
This subsidy enables people to get income support at the same rate as Newstart, so that is the payment generally available for people who are unemployed. It enables people to get income support at that rate for a 13-week period. The income tests for Newstart apply, but the asset tests do not.
So, this payment is available in circumstances where people haven't been able to access other Federal Government payments through our normal social security payment system.
I've determined that these payments should be made not only in Queensland but also in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Now, that will seem like a lot of areas - it's around 150 local government areas - but the reason for that is since the start of November we've seen extreme weather events in many parts of the country.
I, for example, was in Carnarvon just a few short days ago where they have seen flooding. We know that we've seen other communities impacted in other parts of the country, so this payment will be available if people aren't able to get their ordinary source of income because of these natural disasters - whether they're employees, small businesspeople or primary producers - and they meet the income test, so people will need to show that they have lost income and are eligible for the payment.
People who feel that they may be eligible for the payment should ring 180 22 66. That's the same number that people have been using for the emergency $1,000 and they can make a claim and discuss their eligibility with the people on the hotline from later today.
Payments are first expected to flow during the course of next week. This is important for the individuals involved who are doing it tough, the individuals in the families who aren't in a circumstance to get their ordinary income because of the extreme weather events we've seen, but it's also important economically for us to hold labour - particularly seasonal labour - in location so that as communities move to recovery they don't immediately experience a skills shortage where people who normally would have been available to work in that community are no longer available. Certainly, the experience in natural disasters in the past has been that there's been this economic benefit of holding labour where we are going to need it as communities recover.
Now, I know Australians around the country are very, very closely monitoring what is happening, particularly with the Queensland floods and as floodwaters move into New South Wales. There are a lot of Australians doing it tough, facing very, very stressful circumstances and I'm very pleased to see that Australians in large numbers have themselves determined that they want to donate to help their fellow Australians in a time of need. So, I absolutely congratulate people who have made those donations. It's a great way of showing that as a nation we all have care and concern for each other in tough times like these.
I'm very happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the Federal Opposition has expressed some concern about the differential between Queensland, New South Wales and WA and the payments for farmers and small business owners, $15,000 versus the $25,000 versus the $15,000. Is the Federal Government considering trying to put out a flat rate across those three states, or negotiate with the states about increasing those?
PM: Look, thanks for that question and this issue was raised with me particularly when I was in Carnarvon in Western Australia in the last few days. Just to be very clear about our Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery arrangements, premiers write and request particular forms of assistance and the Federal Government's role is then to agree or potentially not agree with the forms of assistance requested.
As we stand today, as Prime Minister I have agreed with all requests for Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements that I have received from Premier Bligh, Premier Keneally and Premier Barnett in Western Australia.
So, for example, in Carnarvon the request that came from the Premier of Western Australia was for a different and lower rate for clean-up money for small businesses and primary producers. I made it very clear when I was in Carnarvon, and actually had the opportunity to talk to the local State Member there, who is a member of Premier Barnett's government, that if we receive an additional request from Premier Barnett then of course I will deal with that as quickly as possible and as sympathetically as possible.
But in terms of changing those levels of assistance, I would need to receive a further request.
JOURNALIST: So have the Premiers of Victoria and South Australia written and asked for assistance? And if not, why have you accepted this new support to those states?
PM: I'm extending the new support to those states and we've got different differential impacts all round the country of what have been a series of really extraordinary weather events and obviously widespread and record flooding. I've extended this more broadly because those communities in Victoria and South Australia are trying to get back to normal and there may be people in those communities who could be eligible for this assistance, so I thought it was best to enable people to make application widely and then for those applications to be assessed.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, as you know, the Opposition Leader is talking about the need for consideration of building more dams. As I understood, when you were asked about that last week you pointed out the hypocrisy of the Coalition opposing the dam up in Queensland that was knocked back. Putting aside that observation you make about Tony Abbott's hypocrisy or otherwise, isn't it time, as demonstrated by the events of the last eight weeks, for the nation to seriously consider whether it is building enough dams, whether it is doing enough of storm water harvesting?
PM: Well, thank you for that question, and what I would say in answer to it is right now it's time to focus on this immediate crisis in so many parts of our nation and helping families and communities through, so that's where my focus is.
I anticipate that as we move through and help communities go into recovery that people will want to raise questions for debate and I understand the Leader of the Opposition's announced a plan to have a committee look at issues.
From the Government's point of view, individual dam proposals need to be assessed on their merits, but my focus as Prime Minister right now is on working with communities, working with state governments, working with local governments, to assist them through what is a pressing and immediate crisis.
JOURNALIST: I understand that, but just let's go back three months. What's your policy on these issues?
PM: The Government's policy on considering dam proposals is that each dam proposal should be looked at on its merits and work through as to what it will do for water supply, what it will do for environmental concerns, what it will do generally. So that's our longstanding policy - that individual dam proposals should be assessed on their merits, and as your remarked in your question, these individual dam proposals in the past have been opposed by members of Mr Abbott's opposition.
Sorry, we'll go here and then come up the back. Yes?
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, regarding today's announcement, what's the advice that you've received from officials on the number of people who would apply, potentially apply, for this subsidy and what the impact on or what the cost to the Federal Budget would be, what the range is?
PM: Look, thanks for that question.
I have had the opportunity to be briefed by officials. I also had the opportunity when I travelled with Premier Bligh on Saturday to talk with her about the potentials for this payment to assist in Queensland and certainly Premier Bligh was very keen to see this payment triggered for Queensland, because in her visiting to flood regions she'd met with people that this payment could make a difference for.
I'm not in a position to give you a precise figure about costs and that's because of two very commonsense reasons: the flood crisis is still emerging, so we ultimately don't know how many communities are going to be impacted by flood waters, though we are very concerned now about the circumstances in South-East Queensland and in New South Wales; and secondly this program is demand driven, but I anticipate the expenditure for this proposal will be in the order of tens of millions of dollars.
Yes, we'll go to the back and then come to the front. Thank you.
JOURNALIST: Just to follow up on that question, Queensland Treasury has delayed the release of its mid-year economic forecast to factor in the impact of the floods. What advice is the Commonwealth seeking about the impact on the budget and when will you be in a position to be able to update the Australian public about its impact, given your planned return to surplus?
PM: Look, we'll update on our budget figures at the time of the May budget.
The budget will return to surplus in 2012-13. That will require us to make some hard choices and we will make those hard choices.
I've been consistent in saying to people I can't, at this stage, tell people what the total cost of recovering from these floods is going to be because I can't predict the draw down on infrastructure money until we see what's under the flood waters and how much damage has been done. You know, I can't know whether a bridge has been washed away until we can see the bridge again. I can't know how much damage is being done to a road by floodwaters until the floodwaters subside and the roads people can get out there and test the road.
So, you know, we're going to be able to get clearer and clearer about the total cost as floodwaters subside and we're able to look at the impact around the country, but we're not in that position yet.
We'll just go to the front here.
JOURNALIST: Given the row over the GST and online sales, is it reasonable to put the GST on the table for the tax summit mid-year?
PM: Well, there's a process for dealing with GST and online sales questions - that's the process that's been announced by Minister Shorten and the Productivity Commission.
What I would say is that, you know, I would be very reluctant to see Australians who are facing cost of living pressures not able to access shopping on the internet in the way that they access it now, and Minister Shorten, of course, has already outlined the process for dealing with this, and that's through the Productivity Commission.
JOURNALIST: And the GST on the tax summit agenda? Is that-
PM: -Well, the GST is not on the Government's agenda. There's absolutely no way in the world that the Government is going to be revisiting rate of GST questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, do you see the people's increasing use of the internet to buy things as an example of globalisation, and would you see putting taxes on those as akin to sort of stepping back on economic reform, a form of protectionism?
PM: Well, I think we've just got to be clear about internet shopping. Yes, people shop on the internet. It's convenient. It's a new way of doing it, so for some people it's a way to shop. Others are always going to love a wander around their local shops and get a pleasure out of shopping as an activity as well as purchases as an outcome.
Much of the internet shopping that happens happens for Australian services, so people are internet shopping and buying from Australian businesses. A small percentage - a very small percentage - internet shop from overseas, and the present advice is in terms of revenue and recovery for that small percentage that it would cost more in administration costs than would be recovered in revenue.
That's the phenomenon of internet shopping that people are talking about in recent weeks.
JOURNALIST: What about as it increases, though? I mean, it won't be small forever, will it?
PM: Well, we have the Productivity Commission process. Minister Shorten has obviously commenced that.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you mentioned the 8,000 claims for the disaster relief payments that's already in effect, and that $10 million has been paid. Is that all to Queensland, because I understand those payments are only available to Queenslanders at this point in time?
PM: Those payments, that's true, are available in local government areas in Queensland. We will obviously keep that under very close review as we're dealing with emerging flood circumstances.
JOURNALIST: OK, but you haven't decided yet to extend the DRP to beyond Queensland to-
PM: -Well, that payment is there in circumstances where we've got movements into evacuation centres and homes being inundated by floodwaters, so we will keep working through as we're seeing floodwaters move the way we're seeing them move at the moment.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, there's a report today that Minister Albanese would not fund transport in Sydney if a Liberal government in New South Wales did not go ahead with the Epping Rail Link. Isn't there some unfairness there, in that it suggests that your Government would help a state Labor government to the tune of $2 billion, but if it was a Liberal Government in Sydney you wouldn't help them in the same way if they decided their infrastructure priorities were different?
PM: Well, your analysis just simply isn't right. What we do is we fund projects that we believe are of major importance, and we've done that around the country irrespective of the political identity of the premier of the state or the government of the state. I would point you in the direction of the major infrastructure investments we've made in Western Australia.
Yes, we'll go that way. Yep?
JOURNALIST: Angus Whitley from Bloomberg News. Will the Federal Government cover the costs of those in flooded areas whose homes and properties aren't covered by insurance policies? Do you have an estimate on how much that might cost you?
PM: Look, once again, because the flood crisis is still emerging, so I couldn't even say to you today how many homes are going to end up inundated by floodwaters because we've got floodwaters moving, but the way in which our assistance works is through the guidelines of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, so we do make payments available to households for things like households contents, so the guidelines for the payments are quite clear.
JOURNALIST: For homes themselves?
PM: Those guidelines are for homes themselves, as well as small businesses and primary producers.
Yes, we'll take a question.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, what lessons can Australia learn from the weekend shooting in Arizona?
PM: Well, this is a truly, truly shocking crime, and a dreadful, dreadful thing to see. I mean, a 9-year-old child lies dead and a congresswoman lies battling for her life having been involved in meeting the people that she represents.
America's our greatest ally, and I think around the nation people would have just been shocked to hear this news yesterday - really, really shocked. My thoughts and I think the thoughts of a lot of Australians will be with the people who have lost loved ones and the people who are injured from this truly shocking crime.
JOURNALIST: I know we don't have the same sort of gun culture as they do in America, but would it be timely, perhaps, for the Federal Police to look at security for MPs and Ministers here in Australia?
PM: Look, the Federal Police do all of that. They do it in an incredibly professional way and they make assessments against Australian circumstances.
Yes, we'll go here and then there. Yep?
JOURNALIST: On a much more important matter, are we sending a gift to Princess Mary and the twins?
PM: I'm sure the nation will want to mark the moment. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of Australians themselves actually bundled up some gifts.
Yes?
JOURNALIST: What's your reaction to the latest anti-whaling activity in the Southern Ocean?
PM: What I'd say about whaling is as follows.
Firstly, my Government is absolutely opposed to whaling. That's why we are taking international legal action, and we will pursue that vigorously.
I've been very clear that in terms of the activities in the Southern Ocean, this is a remote, inhospitable, dangerous place. Everybody has to act responsibly. Any sense that somehow you can act irresponsibly and somehow someone miraculously turns up to save you - that is not the way the world works. These are dangerous waters and people need to conduct themselves responsibly in any protest activity, and all vessels - all vessels - need to conduct themselves responsibly.
Thank you very much.