KOCH: What was the first thought that came into your mind when you saw the scale of this disaster?
PM: That the nation needed to begin to brace itself and the nation needs to begin to brace itself again today. These numbers are numbing in terms of those who have lost their lives and I fear they may rise further. It's - you're at Whittlesea I think is that right David?
KOCH: Yeah, that's right.
PM: I was there yesterday talking to families and just to sit quietly with folk and listen to the absolute trauma of each and every human encounter with the flames is - leaves you in awe about how people survive this and the courage of those around them to help them out. But for those who've lost their lives, this wreckage and this devastation, this has just begun.
KOCH: And I don't know about you but when you come down here, you come with a sort of expectation that when you see it, it is just, it is mind numbing. The devastation and you shake your head, you just wonder how this could be don't you?
PM: Yeah, if you listen to these individual stories and then you begin to look at the pictures of what has happened in so many parts of Victoria, your heart goes out. The challenge for us all David is not just to extend, you know, the hand of friendship and support and that is so necessary as people deal with this pure physical and psychological trauma of having been through hell, but it's also now action.
That's why we have deployed the army. That's why we'll be deploying every possible resource of the Federal Government in partnership with the State Government to deal with what is still an unfolding crisis.
KOCH: Now what about financial help for the victims and the community?
PM: Well what we did, when I was speaking to Premier Brumby on Saturday night late, early Sunday morning, we began working our way through this. As of this morning, the key challenge for example for many of those good people that you will be meeting or have met today at Whittlesea, and people like that across Victoria, is many of them just have the shirts on their back and nothing else.
So as of this morning we've got Centrelink offices spanning out right across these affected communities, I think in 13 so far and I stand to be corrected on that, to make sure that people's upfront cash payments - $1,000 for adults, $400 per child - are made, so people can go out and do something very basic this morning which is buy extra clothes, toiletries, the things that get you through the next day or two.
And then, we have to tend to the further task of how we go about rebuilding these communities and that's why we have the defence today, the Defence Department, the Army, headed by Brigadier Arnold and Colonel Greet - Brigadier Arnold of Four Brigade, Colonel Greet - embedded here at Victorian Counter Disaster Headquarters, and the Army will be fanning out as well to begin to assist with reconstruction tasks.
KOCH: Yeah. Well look, they need all the help they can get from right around the country Prime Minister. Thanks very much for joining us this morning.
PM: Can I add there, everyone who said this but everyone should dig deep. It's not just the next day or two. This is the next year or two for the rebuilding of these communities. And as a nation let's pledge this, that we'll rebuild these communities.