PM: Today I've had the opportunity to talk to residents in Tully Heads to see some of the damage in Tully and then to be here talking to local banana growers about what it's going to take to recover from this devastating cyclone.
The Federal Government has announced a package of assistance modelled on the kind of assistance that growers and communities got following Cyclone Larry. We have made some improvements to the package that followed Cyclone Larry. Significantly, we have made sure the concessional loans to help businesses and producers rebuild are up to the value of $650,000, and $50,000 of that can be a grant.
We've also increased the amount that is available for the wage subsidy and we've been talking about how that's so important to keep local people in local jobs rather than losing them and then when you're able to go back into production not being able to have people around who know what the work is and can take the jobs back up. So, we want to hold workforce in local communities and the wage subsidy enables that.
This package also includes a rural resilience fund which will work for local communities to identify the extra needs that communities may have and to flexibly respond to those needs. We've also been talking about other important elements of the package, including the $25,000 of clean up money that is available to assist producers cleaning up after this cyclone. For example we've talked about the very practical issue that a lot of what has been used to cover the bananas can end up blown around and if it's not cleaned up then it will end up in local waterways and out to sea. So this clean up money is so important.
The feedback today has been that the package will make a big difference. We need to keep monitoring where the package has been available. We've made assistance available across a broad region. We've made the most intensive assistance available where communities have been most hard hit. We will obviously be monitoring and working with local communities to make sure that the right package is available in the right place.
I do, when I'm here, also want to pay some tribute to Superintendent Michael Keating, who's with me. He will be leading the co-ordination of the recovery effort here. He, of course, is well known to community members as a very senior police officer and he's been playing that role as communities here have responded to this devastating cyclone, but now he will move into a role with the Queensland Recovery Authority, being the local commander on the ground able to get access to Premier Bligh if he needs assistance, able to get access to me through Premier Bligh and the Queensland Recovery Authority.
We want to make sure that what State Government is working with the Federal Government and the best way of doing that is to have someone who is the pinnacle of the chain of command on the ground and that is Michael Keating and I thank him for playing that role.
I'd also like to thank Bill Shannon, the local Mayor, for being with us today. I met Bill when I was in Port Hinchinbrook immediately after the cyclone, when our helicopter had to put down because of weather conditions. It was very wet, it was very difficult (inaudible) Bill was there amongst local community members and I do want to thank him for that.
I also want to say joining today by Bob Katter. Bob has played a big role in making sure that I understand and Wayne Swan understands what's happening in communities. I thank him for playing that role. And Senator Jan McLucas has also been eyes and ears on the ground. She lives in Cairns and that's been really important to having a direct line of information about needs in this region.
So, with those words I'm very happy to take questions, but I would at this opportunity also like to say something about a political issue today, an issue of importance to the nation's future.
Earlier today people would have seen a report in the daily newspapers suggesting that the Federal Liberal Party was abandoning its long standing committed to a non-discriminatory immigration policy. That is, that the Federal Liberal Party was contemplating picking migrants to this nation on the basis of their race or religion.
Can I say I'm very clear about what makes a good migrant to this country. I'm a migrant myself, I've got lived experience and to be a good a migrant to this country, you've got to be someone who loves this country, accepts the rules of this country, and is prepared to work hard to make your life in this country. People who are prepared to do that come from all races and religions.
Now, I know that the Leader of the Opposition has spoken about this matter today, but despite his comments, it's still not clear to me whether his Shadow Minister for Immigration personally supports discriminating against migrants on the basis of their religion, and if his Shadow Minister for Immigration personally supports that, then the course here is clear: either Tony Abbott has to say that has become the policy of the Liberal Party, or he has to ask his Shadow Minister to go to the backbench. The Liberal Party cannot maintain that it is keeping its long-standing policy of non-discriminatory immigration and have someone with a very different view holding the Shadow Ministry.
So, it's a question for Tony Abbott whether he is going to rule out this ugly politics and ugly approach, and he is going to very visibly do that by getting his Shadow Minister to go to the backbench if he holds those views.
I'm very happy to take peoples' questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister what sort of (inaudible)
PM: The $1,000 and the like? We've had considerable numbers of people across this community claim the $1,000 emergency money and the $400 per child that goes to assist people in very difficult circumstances. What that means is between the amount that's been made available in emergency payments and the additional package that has modelled on what happened after Cyclone Larry, our investment will be around $400 million in this region, and that's before we get to rebuilding infrastructure. The cost of rebuilding infrastructure will be on top of that.
JOURNALIST: Will the Government build cyclone-rated centres?
PM: Well, of course, as we rebuild we will be taking with us what we learn from the way that buildings hold up in cyclone conditions. One of the things we've talked about as we've moved around is what was learned following Cyclone Larry about the kind of conditions that buildings need to be able to withstand and the building codes that go with that.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, are you (inaudible)
PM: Well, what I know is, for example, when we built in Cairns, and Senator McLucas was very involved in this, when we provided some economic stimulus money to Cairns, we did that to build a Category 5 cyclone rated disaster management centre. That was used during this cyclone and was where people managing the emergency response worked from.
Also, as I'm advised, what we built through Building the Education Revolution has stood up in these cyclone conditions and I certainly know some of those buildings across Queensland have been used for recovery and relief activities.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) quite happy with the assistance package, but I know that other farmers and business groups have expressed that they find it disappointing. Will you be extending it to include growers (inaudible)
PM: Well, we've rolled out the package here. We'll obviously listen to feedback but I think from my discussions today people believe this is the right package and it is an improvement of what was made available after Cyclone Larry. We continue, day by day, to work with the Queensland Government on recovery from the devastating series of events that hit so many parts of Queensland. So, we'll keep working with the Queensland Government on that, but I'm pleased we've been able to make this package available.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible)
PM: Well, we'll work through a step at a time, but I did view it as an important thing to clarify for growers in this region what was going to be happening with wage subsides so that they could hold their workforce, and the feedback to me today has been that that has enabled people to have a bit of a deep sigh and to know what's going to happen next, bit of a deep sigh of relief, and that's very important so people know what their future's going to be and we don't get people unnecessarily moving away, not sure what's going to happen next, when there will be jobs for them, there will be bananas to pick.
JOURNALIST: What about graziers inland that aren't eligible for this assistance at the moment?
PM: Well, we will continue, as I've said, to work through, but we did want to make this package for the hardest hit areas of the cyclone available and clear as soon as we could.
Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan, a great Queenslander, is continuing to work on these questions in almost daily dialogue with his counterpart. He's worked very intensively with Treasurer Andrew Fraser and I continue to work directly with Premier Anna Bligh on these questions.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister the failure of Telstra's landline system following the cyclone has been described as a national embarrassment. What is your office doing to ensure that Telstra doesn't let us down to this scale again?
PM: I've worked directly with Telstra to talk to them about their response on the ground. I knew that there were complaints and I knew we needed to get them addressed and fixed. So my office did have a direct conversation with Telstra about that at a very senior management level and as a result of that conversation my feedback from Bob has been that there has been an improvement here on the ground.
KATTER: The discussions were very frank and the results were very, very speedy. We thank the Prime Minister. Keep going.
PM: Thank you.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible) give farmers a guarantee today that the green light would not be given to bananas to come over from the Philippines?
PM: Well, we've talked about that and we've talked about the science, of course this is a question of quarantine and science and what we've discussed today is the work that the growers themselves have done on the science, looking at the threats that could come from imported produce. My message has been if the science says no, if the science says that there are quarantine risks, then the relevant Government agencies will need to work off that science.
JOURNALIST: That science has been done before though, Prime Minister.
PM: Well, the science we talked about today, I think, is making these issues even clearer for the future.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, you've come under fire for not guaranteeing some of the funds for councils for crucial infrastructure in the wake of the floods. When's the bickering going to stop and a decision be made on whether the Government can put the money up (inaudible)
PM: Well, I certainly wouldn't endorse your word because I don't think that's what's been going on. What's been going on is we are standing here with goodwill and generosity to help people respond and rebuild. We are also standing here wanting to know what things are going to cost, and when I talk to local council members they tell me when they make a decision at their local town hall and in their local council meeting, they want to know what things are going to cost. So, they're really not going to expect me as Prime Minister to make a decision without appropriate costings-
JOURNALIST: -And how much more detail do you need from council?
PM: Well, there is a considerable amount of work underway to scope all of this and to understand what needs to be done in various communities, and I think looking at this with goodwill, let's understand the situation here, councils inevitably have turned their minds most quickly to the really basic things that need to be done in recovery - getting food to people, getting water to people, running evacuation centres, getting tarps on roofs.
Now councils are going to start turning their minds to how to keep our economy going and that's why the package we announced yesterday is so important. Then, of course, they'll look at the infrastructure rebuild and we'll work with them on the details of the infrastructure rebuild.
So there's goodwill and a proper look for information on the side of the Federal Government, and I believe overwhelmingly we are working with local councils full of goodwill, and understanding our need for proper information.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, whaling in Antarctica and the Japanese, the situation's changed. Is that encouraging (inaudible)
PM: I saw these reports today. On my most recent advice they haven't been confirmed by the Japanese Government, so we are awaiting that confirmation, but if that confirmation comes then this is welcome news that this whaling season will be brought to an end.
But then we have to keep pushing, have to keep pursuing international legal action because there are the whaling seasons for the future and from the point of the view of the Federal Government we are very passionate about our commitment to end whaling.
JOURNALIST: How much are you prepared to pay for a banana?
PM: Well, we will see the market conditions prevail and think we all know, following Cyclone Larry, that there was a price spike in bananas. Some people are going to pay any price to get their bananas, they're very good things, but we also know the price spike was relatively short lived. It's a question of how quickly production can be got back and I am not expert in banana growing, but fortunately I've had great advice from some very good experts, who have told me that the timing of this cyclone and the weather conditions that have followed it give them more optimism about getting production online more quickly than Larry. So, people are working hard to make sure bananas get to market and consumers get reasonable prices for a product they very much love.
JOURNALIST: What did you think when you went to Tully Heads this morning? Were you shocked?
PM: Look, it is a shocking scene. I have had the opportunity on the ground in Port Hinchinbrook, at least, to see the smashing up of the marina there and the boats going into buildings, and I had the opportunity to fly over Tully. We couldn't land when I came last time, and it was immediately following the cyclone and weather conditions just got too difficult to keep the helicopter going, so I've had the view from the air.
I knew it was going to be bad. I've seen the television images, so I knew it was going to be bad, but there's nothing like seeing it in person, and it is very affecting when you see it and you see people living in those conditions and working their way back from some very difficult conditions.
So, there's a lot of loss there, a lot of heartache, a lot of determination to rebuild and stay in their community.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, this morning Rob Oakeshott's indicated he may not support the levy. Are you concerned about getting (inaudible)
PM: Well, I will continue to say to the parliament what I said over the last three weeks, since we announced $5.6 billion rebuilding package. Let's remember that's our preliminary estimate of damage before we deal with the consequences of this cyclone where $400 million has already been committed and there is the infrastructure rebuild to come - and very simply, we've got to finance this. We've got to pay for it.
We've got cyclone and flood effects on our economy, but underlying all of that we've got a very strong economy. When you've got a strong economy the right thing to do is pay as you go. We will do that through budget cutbacks in other areas and by asking Australians to pay what is a fair 12-month levy to assist.
Now, I think it's a very fair proposition. That's what I'll be saying to the parliament, and it's an important amount of money - $1.8 billion in a $5.6 billion package.
JOURNALIST: So, how hard are you going to have to work to get it over the line?
PM: We'll work as hard as is necessary because I don't understand anybody to have a budget cutback alternative which stacks up and replaces this $1.8 billion. The Federal Opposition tried to do it and got themselves in such a hell of a mess that the Deputy Leader was bluing with the Treasurer was bluing with the Leader of the Opposition.
Now, what that tells you is it's pretty hard on the Government budget to try and replace this $1.8 billion with cutbacks. Federal Opposition's tried and it's ended in miserable failure, so if we want to get that $1.8 billion we need the levy through the parliament, and we will make the other cutbacks to get the $5.6 billion in total, and we'll make the other cutbacks to fiancé this rebuilding.
JOURNALIST: (inaudible)
PM: Well, we'll be back in parliament next week.
JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, the people of Cardwell who stayed during the cyclone were deeply traumatised. Why didn't the Government provide cyclone-rated shelters as part of the school halls program, when you did spend a considerable amount of money on the cash refunds?
PM: Well, we built to all the relevant standards that Queensland schools are built to, so when we provide money to school communities to build, we work with school communities and we build to the same standard any other building in that school would have been built.
JOURNALIST: So will you ensure next time, that if you have another funding package like this again, that you would have storm-rated shelters?
PM: Well, I think it's a question of State Government and local council planning. Australia is a big place, lots of different conditions, lots of different hazards - cyclones, flood, fire. Lots of different problems that people face, and what we do is we work with the local building code. You would expect that to be different in bushfires areas in Victoria that saw so much grief during Black Saturday than here. This is not a one-size-fits-all proposition and consequently not something the Federal Government is seeking to do. It is better to have those building issues worked on by state governments and local governments who best know what conditions are like on the ground, and then we match whatever code or standard is.
Thanks very much.