SUBJECTS: NSW flooding
SARAH ABO: Welcome back. Well, more now on the NSW flood emergency, which has tragically claimed.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Three lives and terrible this morning. Authorities are bracing for more bad news. And for more, let's go live to Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain in Maitland. Minister, good morning to you. Look, obviously things are pretty still intense north of you around the Taree area. What is the situation?
KRISTY MCBAIN, MINISTER FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Good morning, Karl and Sarah. It's obviously been a very devastating few days, particularly for those communities where we've now seen the loss of three lives and we still have one person missing. Our thoughts go out to those family members in the communities that have lost people. This is still a dynamic and changing situation. I've been on the ground with the Premier and the NSW Emergency Management Minister yesterday and today. We have seen over 600 flood rescues during this period. It's really important that communities heed the warnings of emergency services. If it's flooded, forget it. We've still got some rain falling, we've got some catchments where the rivers haven't peaked yet. I urge everyone to download the Hazards Near Me app and keep an eye out for those family and friends and neighbours that might be in a more vulnerable position and need some assistance.
SARAH ABO: Yeah, Kristy, Yesterday we spoke with the NSW Premier on the show and he was saying there are simply not enough boats to actually reach those who are stranded, such as the intensity and the ferocity of what we're seeing here with these floodwaters. Richard Marles yesterday said that there will be ADF presence there. How quickly before that sort of clears the backlog?
MINISTER MCBAIN: We've had ADF doing search and rescue operations the last two nights across the region. We've obviously got a number of aerial appliances in the air as well, doing rescues as well as boats. There's over two and a half thousand emergency service personnel deployed into these areas from across NSW and we've seen our first deployment arrive from Victoria from a range of their emergency management agencies as well. This is a one country moment where we're seeing lots of agencies from across different jurisdictions come and assist in the Mid North Coast in the Hunter region.
KARL STEFANOVIC: The nature of these areas is that there are going to be people isolated for days. They're going to need help getting power back on, they're going to need help with supplies. That needs to happen expeditiously. And this system all the while is moving further south.
MINISTER MCBAIN: That's correct. Obviously the system is still moving. We still have rain falling in different parts of these catchments and it is expected to move further south. It is really important that we have already activated our Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements with NSW for 16 local government areas right across the region, so that it helps councils with those emergency clean ups and the longer-term repair work. It also helps people with low incomes to find emergency accommodation and to get some essential items back. There's some packages for small businesses and primary producers as well. We've also activated yesterday the Disaster Recovery Allowance for four LGAs, which will assist from an employment perspective to keep funds flowing because they've been cut off from work during this period.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Just quickly before we go, I mean, there's an unknown about some of these weather systems and this was a perfect storm in many ways. But is there any room to improve the warning systems for people out there because so many were caught by surprise?
MINISTER MCBAIN: We always have a discussion about lessons learned after a disaster. I've sat with NEMA in the National Situation Room over the last couple of days and now I've been on the ground up here and it's going to be really important to listen to the lived experience of people, work with our NSW counterparts and our local councils to understand what lessons can be learned from this event. At this point in time, we're heavily focused on that response and making sure we keep people as safe as possible. That's why it's incredibly important for shows like this to continue to amplify that message, to stay safe. If it's flooded, forget it. Standing with the Premier yesterday, someone literally drove into floodwaters right in front of us. It is really important that we are making sure people stay safe and do heed the warnings.
KARL STEFANOVIC: Yeah. When people are tired, they're emotional and they make bad decisions. Good on you. Thank you so much. Just ahead, breaking news from.
