Queensland Fires
Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Emergency Management
Photo: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you for coming together. You probably would have just had the opportunity to see the briefing that was provided by Premier Palaszczuk in terms of the very concerning events that have been unfolding in Queensland over the last few days and they have certainly intensified over the course of today. As you just would have heard, we expect that continue certainly over the next 24 hours and indeed, potentially over the next 7 days. Earlier this evening, we were briefed, the Deputy Prime Minister and I, by the Director General of Emergency Management Australia, Bob Cameron, who was able to update us on this situation in Queensland and to particularly draw our attention to of the what is more than around about 115 fires that have been burning and three that are of particular concern. The Deepwater fire and the Ambrose fire and what is now being referred to as the Gracemere fire.
What’s also important to note is the quite serious set of weather conditions that has been giving rise to what we are seeing. Very low levels of humidity and record maximum temperatures which has been occurring for the past few days. This is very unusual, we are advised, and there is about a 4 to 8 per cent… sorry an 8 per cent average above, and 8 degree average above what we’ve seen and expect to see over the next four days and we expect to see a severe and extreme conditions be in place across all of eastern Queensland over the next 7 days. Wind changes, all of these things are occurring and it’s important that we keep a close eye, as the authorities are in Queensland. I want to commend the Queensland response. I’ve spoken to Premier Palaszczuk on a number of occasions today and to offer all forms of support that are available to her from the Commonwealth. And what I think is important to note has been the incredible response provided to Queensland from states and territories all around the country. The firefighting response has been provided by the civilian fire authorities, whether it's from New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Western Australia. New South Wales is actually sending more tomorrow, and they have been joining the Queensland effort and a very coordinated effort which has been run out of Brisbane from the state Disaster Coordination Centre. We have activated the Director-General of emergency management Australia, has activated the Commonwealth Disaster Assistance Plan. That is the formal mechanism by which it creates an open channel between the Queensland State Government and the Commonwealth to seek assistance in any range of areas from the Commonwealth.
Now, in terms of the ADF, the support that has been provided to date has been out of Amberley and providing refuelling capacity. New South Wales, by the way, has seven aircraft up in New South Wales, and, of course, the ADF are providing assistance as required there. As the Emergency Management Minister, the Assistant Minister for Home Affairs was pointing out today as well, the financial assistance has been triggered through the joint disaster recovery funding arrangements. They've been activated, particularly in areas of Gladstone, and that provides financial support for personal hardship and distress and to assist in a number of the counter-disaster operations that have been provided by the Queensland Government.
The messages that I think are important to Australians today, and particularly Queenslanders, up in north Queensland, and central Queensland, is to simply take the advice. You can rebuild a home but you can't rebuild a family, and there is, I think, a very clear set of warnings that have been provided and it's time to listen to those plans, stay calm and gather your family together. And the evacuation centre in Rockhampton for Gracemere, but it's not only Gracemere that's impacted by those orders that are in place and those emergency evacuation arrangements that are in place. But I'd be calling on people to respond calmly and to make their way to Rockhampton where there'll be support and there'll be assistance available to them. I know that will be very distressing to them and their families but know this - the entire country is coming to your aid. The entire country is there to help in this time of great need. And the members for Flynn and the members for Capricornia will have left the Parliament together with Senator Canavan and they're returning to their electorates to provide what support and comfort they can and assistance.
I have no immediate plans, nor does the Deputy Prime Minister, to visit the area. The advice to us is that we need people to focus on the firefighting effort and the firefighting response, so we will continue to monitor and manage things from, in terms of the Commonwealth's response here from Canberra, and working closely with Emergency Management Australia. I want to thank all of those who have taken the journey, all of those who have stepped up today, all of those who have reached out to friends, family, to comfort one another. All those who are working up there in Rockhampton tonight, all those who are working wherever they are tonight to provide the level of response that Australians would expect in a situation like this.
Before I throw to the Deputy Prime Minister, it has also been a very difficult day in New South Wales today. In Sydney, we have seen today heavy rains, flash flooding, damaging winds, severe thunderstorms, hazardous surf and hail in Sydney and the Central Coast. There has also been [inaudible] that been required to be activated at this point, we'll obviously be staying in close contact with the New South Wales State Government in terms of any assistance that they may require. So our thoughts are also with all of those affected by those quite extreme conditions in New South Wales today. We'll be there to support you as well in every way that is appropriate in those circumstances. So with that I might hand to the Deputy Prime Minister. Thank you.
DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER MICHAEL MCCORMACK: Thank you, Prime Minister, and Senator Reynolds. This is a very difficult day for Australia, particularly for New South Wales, particularly for Queensland, and as the Prime Minister has indicated, Michelle Landry the Member for Capricornia, Ken O’Dowd the Member for Flynn and Senator Matthew Canavan, Minister Canavan, have returned to Queensland to be with their people to offer what support they can. It's important that we do stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder with our friends, with our neighbours, at this time. But most importantly, as the Prime Minister said, for those people in the affected area, be as safe as possible. Please listen to the local emergency authorities. They know best. If they ask you to leave, then please do so. As the Prime Minister has just said, you can always rebuild a home, you can't replace loved ones. I can't stress that enough. The authorities have said it. Please listen to them. They know the conditions on the ground. They want you to act with calmness but certainly if you need to leave then please do so and listen to them. Many cane farms have been razed. The villages of west of Mackay, Eungella and Finch Hatton have been evacuated. They’re only small, tiny specks on the map but those people, they have homes. They're wonderful little communities and they've had to evacuate. So we think of them at this time. Our thoughts are very much with them. Of course, for all of those people who are evacuated, there will be support services available, and I reiterate again, don't panic, just take the action necessary. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Did you want to offer anything in terms of emergency management?
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MINISTER LINDA REYNOLDS: Thank you, Prime Minister. As the Federal Emergency Management Minister, it's my responsibility to ensure that all Commonwealth agencies work together and provide all the support required to Queensland, and when requested, New South Wales. The emergency management, EMA, has already responded and they are working very closely with the Queensland authorities in their special operations centre. Our Commonwealth crisis coordination centre has been activated and we are doing everything we can now to ensure that the Queensland authorities get all the emergency assistance they need with emergency services support, with firefighting resources and particularly now working with the Queensland Government to ensure that all of those families and men and women who have been affected and lost property and have nowhere to go tonight have the food, the clothing and the shelter that they require. The Commonwealth will then, of course, work with the Queensland Government over the coming days, months and possibly even years to make sure that all the support that the Commonwealth can muster goes to support these people. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you. Well thank you Linda, we don't have anything further to add at this point. I mean, obviously operational control in relation to this... these emergencies is being handled both in Queensland and New South Wales. So for operational details I'll have to refer you to both of those centres to get the latest updates. But we thought it was important to give you an update in terms of the Commonwealth's response tonight. I'll be taking further briefings in the morning at the centre here in Canberra, and will provide further updates in terms of any further response, whether it’s from the ADF or any other parts of the Commonwealth as and when is required. Thank you all very much.