PM: The Government has today substantially increased the disaster relief payment
under the social security system, which will triple it in many cases for families, to
just under $ 2000 and over $1000 for a single person. Now, this will be paid to
people who have had their homes damaged or whose income has been severely
dislocated - for instance firefighters who've not been paid by their employers
would qualify. And we've already issued cheques this morning through the
Department of Social Security, particularly to some of the residents of Jannali and
those areas, and there is a Social Security hotline through which people can
enquire and have these things paid.
So, the Government takes the view that this is a natural disaster and a very large
one, the most significant bushfires we've seen, and it is appropriate that the
Commonwealth Government help people through this period with these
Immediate and personal payments.
J: How will people be assessed?
PM: This payment is not income tested or asset tested. It Is only on the basis of
whether their homes have been damaged or destroyed, whether they have suffered
material income loss in the course of the fire or fighting the fire. So, for instance,
it won't be paid to somebody who has simply been evacuated and is coming back
t0 their house which is undamaged. But it would be paid to others who have
suffered an employment loss or loss of Income.
J: will this include volunteer firefoughters who have lost income?
PM: It will include volunteer firefighters who have lost income. Volunteer firefighters
who’ve income or have not been paid by their employer - we would be able
to pay them this payment.
J: is there a limit on the amount of money?
PM: Well, it's a formula and It would depend on whether someone is single, married or
with children and it rises accordingly. With two children under 13 it's about $ 2000, roughly.
J: How many people do you think would be eligible?
PM: Well, it's very hard to say. But, obviously, with the nature and the extent of the
devastation It's going to be quite a significant number of payments.
J: So It's Social Security who are doing the assessing and processing?
PM: Social Security regional offices will handle all of the processing and the payments.
And, as I've said, quite a number of cheques have already been paid this morning.
J: Where will the funding come from?
PM: its from the Commonwealth Department of Finance through the Department of
Social Security.
J: Ins ems of the ftr % ie and emergency workers would you like to wso= r
SW1 of public re~ ntion or tribut for them?
PM: Well, I think this has been a magnificent effort on the part of the firefighting
services. The fact that we have lost 155 homes, or thereabouts - too many of
course for those who have lost them - but considering the scale of the fires its
been a very successful firefighting effort, A success only guaranteed by the
professionalism of those engaged and the volunteers; that is, those who help
occasionally with firefighting and who are engaged, If you like, as part time
firefighters and those ordinary people who’ve, just decided to pitch in. I think it's
been an absolutely wonderful effort and, as! I said a couple of days ago, it's
Australia at Its begt you see the best things about the country coming out of it.
J: Prime Minister, should you have come back from holidays sooner to deal with this
matter?
PM: No, well, I was back a day or two - the acting Prime Minister was dealing with
this matter from thc moment it became a problem beyond the normal capacity of
the firefighting services. And I was kept Informed and a day later I had an
Inspection of the area.
J: Does forest management need to be reassessed at this time?
PM: Forest management is essentially a State issue, particularly in terms of fire control,
and no doubt the state government will assess the questions about burn backs and
all of the other preventative things which could be material to diminishing the
impact of large fires. And also, I think educating communities who are in
vulnerable: areas about how they might protect their homes. Because most of these
homes awe lost through the roof. They start burning in the roofs and if there
is protection in the roofs the likelihood is many of the homes in Jannalli for
instance, might have been saved. So, this is something that I think is worth
assessing after all of this and, no doubt, the whole campaign will be assessed. But,
one would have to say there has been experience brought to this firefighting effort
from Past fires and the Success therefore, is, I think, pretty obvious.
J: Can you give us an assessment of how much this is going to cost Australia In
dollar terms?
PM: Not I can't do that. I think it would be impossible. There are obviously big
property losses and then there are also all the other things like timber resources, for
harvesting, which would have gone. So, at this stage, I think it's impossible to say.
J: ( inaudible)… defence force personnel a bit earlier to help out7
PM: No, there was not a question about bringing them in a bit earler, they came in
whcn they were needed. Normally when fire start they are uinder the control of
emergency bushflnc fighting services and I think you'll fnd Mr Kope" br and
atiers tell you that the cooperation that they'Vc had with the Defence Department
has been exemplary. We've had, really, more reserves and equipment available
than can be used. T hat's still the cane today.
J: NSW has been asking the Federal Government to contribute more to the cost of
Infrastructure, rebuilding etc. Would you consider that?
PM: Well. we're meeting half the cost of fighting the fire because fighting the fire itself
Is just a very large cost in itself. Now, normally this would be met by NSW, we're
going to meet half of that. But, for the replacement of Infrastructure and other
things there is a set of arrangements in place. The National Disaster Relief
Arrangements ( NDRA) which has an assessed formula where a state picks up the
first millions at 100 percent and then the Commonwealth comes in for
percent and there's a formula where the Commonwealth picks up more thereafter.
Now, the Premier has asked me to look at that and I've said to him to give us any
advice which is germane to the question of the peculiarities of this particular
circumstance and why the NDRA may not be entirely appropriate on this occasion.
We'll look at that but I think in the first instance the main thing is to help them in
the cost of fighting the fire and to help people who've been affected by the fires
and to keep Commonwealth defence resources wherever they're needed until the
fires are put out.
J: Should the defence forces put more emphasis on firefighting in training and those
sorts of things?
PM: Well, I think the defence forces have been no only very, very useful in the
deployments which we've bad In helicopters and in petso tel, In evacuation and to
fighting fires, but I think they'll probably be very useful in the mopping up
operation. Because of the numbers which they have at their disposal and also the
materials so I think the ADF has been a very Cooperative force in this, rm very
happy to say.
J: Can you give us an Idea of when you think this will all be over?
PM: Well I think that's a question you Should properly address to the firefighting
authorities. I think thenc weather couditions, rain and Cooler weather, ha
obviously got to help the containment of fires. I think you'll probably find that the
flrofightlng scrvicc Is now In a containment policy with back burning so that they
can limit the damage which fires might cause when weather conditions changj, U
expectcd later In the week. I think the key objctive of their policy now would be
to be ready for a change In the weather later in the week. So, that now, they can
actually back burn and take advantage of these conditions.
J: Do you have a personal message for those directly affected, those who have lost
homes?
PM: Well, for most who have lost homes one can only express one's deepest sympathy
and concern to see ones possessions gone, Of course, the loss. of life and the loss
to those families of people ones heart goes out to them. To see people
obviously devastated, their possessions, all their worldly goods gone, Is a hean
reniding experience and one doesn't liko to sme that happen to ayboy least of all,
particularly, the people we live amongst.
J: Prime Minister, it's gained worldwide attention, have you had any enquiries from
other governments about what is going on here?
PM: No, but I set up some enquiries myself earlier In the week, with New Zealand
about whether they could help, particularly with water bombers. There were a
couple of Canadian water bombers there but they've already gone back to Canada.
But, I did arrange for these water buckets to be delivered to Australia and, 1 think,
eighty of them were delivered late yesterday on a Hercules. And, they're helping
today to mount a larger anti-fire storming effort.
J: Is that equipment to be kept here or just on loan?
PM: No, they're on loan for the moment but you need as much as you can bring to bear
as quickly as you can Set It and whether we can use all of those I don't know, but
they're going to be here anyway and some are being used today
J: The New Zealand Government has also set up an appeal and donated a million
dollars, what's your reaction to that?
PM: Ibat's very commOdabic and I appreciate their concern. I appreciate the
cooperation of the New Zealand Govemment and people in this.
J: Has it been put to you or any talks been held about buying more of these buckets
locally or having better equipment?
PM: Well, there's always been a debate about water bombing; because of the nature of
the Australian bush canopy a lot of the water actually hfts the leaves and doesnr't
get to the base of the fire. And, therefore, they are obviously not as effcctive as
many people think and, of couse, water, heavy water hiltting at great speed can
also damage propeniy, but worse than that, affect materially the health of
firefighters. So, there's no simple solution. I think the key point is if the lite is not
difficult it can be fought with conventional ftirighting means if it is not
difficult it doesn't need water bombing. If it is difIcult, water bombing is less
effective but so, too, Is conventional firefighting. This is a very difficult problem.
A bushfire has a character all of its own and is very difficult to contain. So, it is
the preventative measures, In the long run, which are worth, I think, thinking
about.
End