Interview - Today Show, Channel Nine

ALLISON LANGDON:       

Let’s get more on this crisis which is being called a natural disaster of unprecedented proportions. We’re joined by Minister for Employment, Stuart Robert, on the Gold Coast, and Nine News political reporter, Chris O'Keefe. Stuart, if I can just go to you. I mean, hearing that this morning, 1000 people stranded, worse than we thought. So many people hurting right now.

MINISTER ROBERT:

Extraordinary weather event. It's not just a flood, Ally. I know we're a land of drought and flooding rains but this is an extraordinary event right in the southeast corner and moving south, so my heart goes out for the residents of Lismore, and of course, as you move further south down to Grafton. But all stops are being pulled out and every support is being offered to people. It's going to be a tough 24 hours though.

ALLISON LANGDON:       

Twenty-four hours and even weeks ahead. Chris, I mean, those 1000 people, we were just talking about it before we came on air, a lot of those who’d called for help and who are trapped in their homes are people with disabilities who were not able to reach high ground.

CHRIS O’KEEFE:

It was a dreadful situation. I was- we were watching yesterday. There was a community spreadsheet put out on Facebook and social media basically telling the people of Lismore: hey, there’s a family of four here with two dogs, they’ve got disabilities, they’re at XYZ Street, Lismore, and they need saving, they need rescuing. Now, the spreadsheet was being updated by the people of Lismore, not the government, the people of Lismore, the community of Lismore, to try to get to these people. But, unfortunately, when you wake up this morning and hear that 1000 people are yet to be rescued, 1000 people unaccounted for, it just does not bode well. It makes you feel sick.

ALLISON LANGDON:       

And look, we saw the people of Lismore, that they stepped up, they got their own boats out, canoes, whatever they were, they were helping their neighbours, they were rescuing as many people as they could. The SES then said last night: hey, look, you know, it's getting too dangerous, leave it to us. But the SES, I mean, they are so stretched right now. How do you feel, Chris, about- thoughts, you know, the ADF is coming in and helping?

CHRIS O’KEEFE:

Well, something has to be done obviously. But it’s one of those things, right, as human beings we like to think we’re in control of everything but if you're getting the best part of a meter, two meters of water in a few days, I don't know what else we can do. If it inundates a town like this and inundates a massive area, southeast Queensland basically all the way down to past Lismore now, and it’s heading further south towards Sydney. Human beings, we can try our best but sometimes today is a reminder that mother nature certainly has our measure.

ALLISON LANGDON:       

I tell you what, Stuart, people are certainly being tested aren’t they right now. And when you hear that there is more rain on the way, which means that this, you know, we're not past the worst of this potentially, then you got to look ahead and there’s the clean-up. I mean, where do you even begin?

MINISTER ROBERT:

It's going to be hard. The weather here on the Gold Coast belies the truth it's been raining for weeks. We’ve got a bit of sunshine. My understanding is it’ll start raining again from tomorrow. 

First thing's first, Ally, for those who find themselves in terrible situations, there’s the disaster relief payments. People should avail themselves of those. They’re just the first emergency payments, 180 22 66, and then further support comes from there. 

We all need to look after each other. I mean, the beauty of the SES is they’re community-based, a vast majority of volunteers all working and serving with emergency management, specialist police, and firies, and others from the states and territories. I think it's great that communities are looking out for each other. 

When in doubt, call your neighbour, see if they’re all right.

ALLISON LANGDON:

Well, that’s it. I mean, neighbours have stepped up, aren’t they? People do look after each other in moments of crisis like this. But, Stuart, look, we know that plenty of people aren't insured. I mean, it was either they couldn't get it after the flooding in Brisbane in 2011, or for so many people, premiums are too high and they just can't afford it. I mean, what happens to them, Stuart?

MINISTER ROBERT:

Yeah, insurance is one of those vexed subjects. The Federal Government just stepped in last year with a $10 billion-dollar underwriting fund, if you like, for northern Australia dealing with the issue of, in the north, insurance is just not available. Insurers have actually left the area. 

Down here in southeast Queensland, the issue isn't the absence of insurers, the issue, of course, may well be price and people being priced out of the market. And as we move through this particular event, I'm sure that’ll be something the Assistant Treasurer, the Revenue Minister, having held that position previously, will start to have a look at.

ALLISON LANGDON:

Yeah. I mean, Chris, they’re going to have a look at that aren’t they? They’ll have to because, I mean, this is yet another crisis they are facing down the track. These people, if they can't rebuild, what happens to them?

CHRIS O’KEEFE:

Well, that's a very good question. I don't know what happens to them. And, you know, the Federal Government- I know Minister Robert has just given himself a pat on the back but that insurance scheme for Northern Australia doesn't kick in until July 1. You know, we’ve had cyclones for centuries and we’ve got an insurance scheme that the Federal Government are giving themselves high fives about that doesn't kick in July 1. That's no good to anyone. And you look at southeast Queensland- now, I think the insurance companies need the Riot Act read to them, because every single time we get a disaster like this the insurance companies sit on their hands and they make a fortune in profits, a fortune. And they never come to the aid of people like these poor people in Lismore. Because you look at these pictures now on your screen, and you dead set think to yourself: do they have to pack up and move the entire town? Is this sustainable in the short, medium, long-term? Is the damage just going to be so bad that we can't continue to have people live there? Yet insurance companies will be saying, oh well, it's a flood prone area. You knew that when you bought there, we can't help you. And in six weeks, two months, three months down the track we won't be talking about it anymore. We’ll move on to the next news story and Federal Government will be moving onto the next election and these poor people will be buggered.

ALLISON LANGDON:

Well, I mean, Stuart, we know that there are people in Brisbane still waiting, you know, 10 years, 11 years on from the last flood, they still haven’t received a payment. How are you going to fix that problem?

MINISTER ROBERT:

If they’re waiting for payments from their insurers there’s something terribly wrong there, Ally, in that respect. But I think those payments might be coming from other areas. When it comes to insurance, they’re personal decisions and they are very, very difficult for people. As we saw with the bushfires, community and governments do step in when we see these massive natural events, and they’re all subsequent decisions. First decision's first, disaster payments right starting at 9am today for Queensland, 2pm for New South Wales. And then subsequent decisions will be made from there. Important now people look out for themselves, get safe, and we move from there.

ALLISON LANGDON:

Look, I mean, even as you’re talking-

CHRIS O’KEEFE:

[Interrupts] Thousand bucks isn't going to help much.

ALLISON LANGDON:

Yeah, and $400 for kids. But, look, I mean, it’s- they’re going to need a lot more help down the track. You know, even, I think, psychological help for a lot of these families. I mean, you looked at a lot of the kids who are being rescued and that look in their eyes. But, I mean, we’re looking at a town here, we’re looking at pictures of Lismore underwater. And these are pictures we’re seeing right along a big swathe of the eastern coast of Australia. It's a big job, mammoth job, and it's hard to get our head around just how long this is going to take and what the clean-up looks like. But Stuart and Chris, we appreciate your time this morning. Thank you.

[ENDS]