SUBJECTS: Floods in Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales; Labor’s policy agenda; climate change; Federal election; Labor’s policy agenda.
 
TERRI BUTLER, MEMBER FOR GRIFFITH: Well, good morning, everyone. I'm Terri Butler, the Federal Member for Griffith. And we're here today at the Hawthorne Ferry Terminal, one of the local ferry terminals in my electorate that's been hit really hard by the floods, along with my fellow local representatives who are here with me Di Farmer and Kara Cook, we've been working together to see what we can do to support locals during this incredibly difficult time. I'm very pleased to say that today, we are receiving a visit from the Leader of the Opposition, Anthony Albanese, from the Deputy Premier, Steven Miles, and from the Shadow Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt. We've asked them to come here today to have a look at the devastation that's being faced in our local communities, and to speak to some locals who've been affected by the floods directly, including a lot of people who are here in the park today at the ferry terminal. So, I wanted to welcome them all here and thank them for visiting our electorate. And while we're at it, thank my state and local colleagues for all of the incredible work that they've been doing to keep people safe during this remarkable and extraordinary weather event. Thanks, everyone.
 
ANTHONY ALBANESE, LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY: Well, thanks very much, Terri. It's just a tragic situation we can see behind us. And it's been an opportunity to talk with locals about the impact that this flood has had on their lives. And we know that there's been a tragic loss of life, including in this area, but real pressure placed on local communities. And that's why it's good to see federal, state and local representatives here together, including my good mate, the Deputy Premier of Queensland, Steven Miles. And I do want to give a shout-out as well to those volunteers and emergency service workers. They are once again showing they are heroes. They are risking themselves to keep others safe and are providing extraordinary support for people during this difficult time. But Queenslanders again are coming together in that Queensland spirit. Yesterday afternoon, I was at Deagan hosting, along with Anika Wells, a barbecue for the local community. And people came out, they got some support from each other in engaging in that activity. And then after that, I visited Kedron-Wavell services club. And there, the state and local government, as well as volunteers, are doing an extraordinary job, giving people somewhere to stay, looking after their health, looking after their welfare at this extraordinarily difficult time. It is a devastating flood that we've seen. Some people I've spoken to have lost absolutely everything. And that is heartbreaking to talk with them. And on behalf of Federal Labor, I just say we are with you. And I do want to express my condolences as well to those who've lost loved ones, the ultimate tragedy that has occurred as a result of this devastating flood. For people in Northern New South Wales as well, who are really doing it tough, in Lismore, in Ballina, places that have been evacuated, places in Sydney as well. A shout-out to my locals in Marrickville who are experiencing flooding at the moment as well. I'll be back there today. And I would encourage everyone to stay safe and to follow the advice that emergency services are giving.
 
We do need to acknowledge the work that volunteers and others are doing, but we do need also to call upon the Federal Government to do their bit. We need services on the ground here. People I've spoken to in the last 24 hours have struggled to get the support that they need. People aren't in a position to log on and get a myGov account and go through a bureaucracy. They need help. And they need it right now. And I'd encourage the Federal Government to make sure they have Services Australia representatives on the ground to make sure that Queenslanders and people in Northern New South Wales can access the emergency relief that they're entitled to. We changed the regulations so that it automatically kicks in. And what we need to do is to have that support on the ground kicking in automatically as well. And we do need that support to be here today.
 
The other issue that arises from this is the Emergency Response Fund. When the Emergency Response Fund was established with $4 billion, it was established with $200 million to be expended each and every year, $150 million on disaster response, but also $50 million on mitigation, on planning on making sure that investments are made to ameliorate the impact of natural disasters. That money hasn't been spent. Instead, $800 million has been earned in interest. This isn't a term deposit. This is a fund to assist people with natural disasters. And we heard from the IPCC yesterday that climate change means that in Australia in particular, we're likely to see more extreme events, more often. And that's why we need to make sure that the Government does a better job. That's why it's good that Murray Watt is here today, who's put forward, and we've adopted his plan, for a Disaster Ready Fund to make sure $200 million are spent every single year on making sure things like flood levees and other investments are made in advance. And that's something that should happen.
 
Lastly, I do want to give a shout-out, I've sent a message this morning, to the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison. Scott Morrison has tested positive for COVID. I think all Australians wish him a speedy recovery. And on behalf of the Australian Labor Party, we certainly wish the Prime Minister to be back on deck and fully fit and healthy as soon as possible. And Steven Miles is going to make some comments as well.
 
STEVEN MILES, DEPUTY PREMIER OF QUEENSLAND: Thanks so much, Anthony. Can I also thank Di and Kara and Terri for having us in their community? I know how hard they've been working these last few days to support people affected by the floods. It's incredibly valuable and important for us to have Murray, and also Federal Labor Leader, Anthony Albanese, here on the ground to see firsthand how this flooding emergency is affecting Queenslanders. This is a national-scale emergency, not just its level of impact here in the Southeast, but now, of course, spanning two states. And our thoughts are with those in New South Wales currently bearing the first stages of the flooding disaster. Here in Queensland, it is far from over. The flood continues. The river, the tidal surges in the river, continue to peak, albeit at lower levels than that major flooding peak. Areas like Logan will continue to be inundated with each tidal peak over coming days. And then the clean-up begins. And of course, the call out is now on for Queenslanders to come forward, as they always do, to support fellow Queenslanders, to help them to clean up after the floods. I spent yesterday in Logan and Ipswich and Goodna. I stood in Logan as the flood peaked and watched the water rise up through people's homes, talking to them over the water on their balconies. And what struck me is just how concerned they were, even as they were bearing the brunt of this flood, how they were concerned for their neighbours, how so many of them said that they were fortunate that they were unharmed themselves and that their properties could be repaired. In Logan, they were experiencing what seems to have been the worst flood ever. The homes that we were visiting had not flooded in 2011 or 2017. We offered to get them groceries. And the most we could convince them to take was bread and milk, even though we were happy to get them more. Although, there was one gentleman in a moonboot who had waded through water, was hobbling his way to Coles at Waterford. And all he wanted was Samboy chips. His name was Sam. They said they call him 'Samboy'. And we got him some Samboy chips. In Goodna, we visited the Goodna Services Club. People will remember that was one of the most iconic images of the 2011 floods. And it has flooded again, virtually all destroyed. That's a club that funds the breakfast program for 12 local schools in the Goodna area, one of the most disadvantaged areas of our state. And of course, we want to see them back up and running as quickly as we can so that they can continue to support that local community. At the Ipswich Evacuation Centre, there was still 180 folk there being taken well care of by the volunteers from the hospital, the SES and other local NGOs. But there, I met Karen, who had a heartbreaking story of getting a phone call while her house was underwater, and she was in the evacuation centre from the NDIA to say that her NDIS support package had not been approved. And just to hear those stories of what people were experiencing on that day, it was just tragic. You can see behind me the effect of the flood here at Hawthorne. It will take a long time to get our ferry services back up and running. And they are so critical to our transport network, particularly in the city. So, Albo, thanks so much for being here today. It's been really important to make sure that our national leaders see and understand, as I know you do, just what an impact this is having on the Southeast and what support we will need from here going forward.
 
ALBANESE: Thanks, Steven. Happy to take questions.
 
JOURNALIST: How do you plan to repair the budget? When would you start paying down the nation's debt?
 
ALBANESE: Well, this Government has racked up a trillion dollars of debt. They've racked up a trillion dollars of debt without much to show for it. During the Global Financial Crisis, one of the things that we did was to bring forward infrastructure investment. Here in Queensland, we funded the Gold Coast Light Rail Project. We funded the Ipswich Motorway. We funded Cross River Rail that was then taken out of the budget by the incoming Abbott and Newman Governments. We funded, importantly, the Redcliffe Rail Line, first promised in 1895. It took Federal and State Labor, along with Moreton Bay Council, to deliver that project. And we delivered major upgrades right up and down the Bruce Highway, the Warrego Highway, we delivered projects around Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Cairns, Gladstone, Calliope Crossroads Project, and many others. My concern about this Government is that they've racked up a trillion dollars of debt, but they don't have much to show for it. And what that means is that when you have an emergency like this, you need to make sure the budget is in good shape so that governments can kick in, all governments at different levels. We will always be responsible. But what we will do is put dollars where it makes a difference, like we did last time with major infrastructure projects, with the National Broadband Network, with paid parental leave and with the National Disability Insurance Scheme. We looked towards reforms that made a difference to the country. When people look in the next couple of months at whether they want to give this Government, this tired Government, a second decade in office, they'll ask themselves this question - 'Is this as good as it gets? Do they have a record over a decade which demands a second decade in office?' Or do they want a Government that will actually work with the Queensland Government to deliver major infrastructure and work with communities to deliver projects as well? One of the things we didn't do was get out a colour-coded spreadsheet to determine funding. That's why we funded projects based upon need, like the Gold Coast Light Rail Project. We invested more on the Gold Coast than this Government ever has because they were good projects, and they were needed. We'll continue to do that. I worked with Steven in the past. I've worked with Annastacia Palaszczuk. We were both infrastructure ministers together. And the priority will be, if you invest in productivity boosting infrastructure, if you invest in cheaper childcare that boosts productivity and workforce participation amongst women, if you invest in significant reform and change, then what you do is strengthen the economy, strengthen jobs, which strengthens the budget position. That's what we will do when in government. The current Government have had a decade. They are not going to get any better. Indeed, they're getting worse as time goes on. There's a law of diminishing returns between Tony Abbott to Malcolm Turnbull to Scott Morrison. And that's why we're ready for Government, And Terri Butler will be a senior Cabinet Minister as part of my Government that I want to lead after May if we get the support, particularly, of Queenslanders at that time. But I'm a regular visitor to Queensland. I have been for two decades now. It's the anniversary of my election to the Federal Parliament today. And I will continue to represent Queenslanders and to engage with Annastacia, with Steven, but importantly as well, I want Terri to be joined by more Queenslanders as part of the Labor team from Queensland, the delegation down to Canberra, because I think that will strengthen the country. Thanks very much.
 
JOURNALIST: And also, happy birthday.
 
ALBANESE: Thank you very much. It wasn't the birthday I anticipated to be here. But it is. This is an absolute priority. And my heart once again just goes out to Queenslanders at this difficult time. Lastly, if I can add to Steven's story, last night I was talking to people who were rescuing people in Deagon, in a dinghy literally from their homes. And at one stage, the man said to me that he got handed a baby. And they said, 'Take the baby, make the baby safe, I'll get the other kids out of the home'. Extraordinary stories of bravery and courage and just looking after each other. So, well done Queenslanders.
 
ENDS