It has been a testing time for Australians all around our continent as floods, cyclones and bushfires have brought so much devastation. They have also brought hope of renewal as their fellow Australians, as they are international renowned, rally to help one another in such times of distress. We are a resourceful and resilient people and have a great deal of which to be proud in the way we respond as a nation to such disasters.
I spoke yesterday to the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Clare Martin, and offered all appropriate assistance from the Australian Government. Our two governments are working together closely to monitor the situation in and around Katherine and the potential for further flooding.
Northern Territory community services will co-locate with Centrelink from tomorrow morning to provide co-ordinated and streamlined assistance to those who need it. Under the long-standing Natural Disaster Relief Arrangements (NDRA), the Australian Government will match dollar for dollar any expenditure the Territory Government makes on personal hardship and distress payments, such as emergency food and clothing, temporary accommodation, emergency housing repairs and counselling once Territory Government expenditure exceeds $240,000. Centrelink is already on the ground offering support and assistance in the emergency centres.
Under the NDRA once the Territory has spent $5.8 million in any one financial year on the costs associated with natural disasters, the Australian Government will pick up 50 per cent of all natural disaster-related expenditure over that threshold, including infrastructure repairs and the like. Once the Territory Government exceeds a threshold of $10.2 million in any one financial year, the Australian Government will meet 75 per cent of all natural disaster-related expenditure over that amount.
We can be thankful that this latest flooding was not as severe as the terrible floods of 1998. The Australian Government will stand with the people of Katherine as they again work to rebuild their livelihoods and their homes.