Helen Haines on Falls Creek businesses suffering

The Border Mail

Indi MP Helen Haines tells Parliament about Falls Creek business operators and their plight after the 2022 landslip that closed road leading to the town.

Transcript

00:00My question is to the Minister for Government Services. In my electorate, the same record

00:07rainfall that has caused widespread flooding has also caused a massive landslide, which

00:12has cut off access to Falls Creek for at least five months, decimating the summer season

00:17economy. But those affected look at the Services Australia website and only see financial assistance

00:23for people directly affected by floods. Can the Minister confirm that these people are

00:28eligible for the disaster recovery allowance, and are there plans for further support?

00:34I give the call to the Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Minister

00:37for Government Services.

00:40I thank the member for her question. As all members here know, many local government areas

00:50right across Australia have been affected by incredibly damaging natural disaster events.

00:56Falls Creek in the Alpine Shower in the north-east of Victoria is one of 153 communities that

01:01are currently eligible for disaster assistance. There has been a landslide on the way to Falls

01:08Creek, and it has affected the businesses. Falls Creek, while it is a year-round tourist

01:13facility—most of its season is in the winter—there are businesses that still seek to operate

01:19all year round.

01:21Members of Falls Creek are eligible to apply for disaster recovery allowance and Victorian

01:28and Commonwealth-funded disaster recovery funding arrangements. Services Australia has

01:35investigated for me today, in the course of the day, about Falls Creek and whether or

01:40not there were payments that people were eligible for that haven't been made. As I understand,

01:45there have been 46 claims made for disaster relief allowance. They have all been paid.

01:50There is one claim where the status is indeterminate, but 46 out of 47 have been made. In terms

01:57of the businesses affected year-round, that doesn't fall within the immediate preserve

02:01of Services Australia. I will certainly raise it with the Victorian government. As far as

02:07my ministerial obligations are, everyone who has put in a claim has actually had it processed.

02:14If there are other people who the member is aware of who haven't, we will of course attend

02:18to it straight away. I just want to thank Services Australia staff. They have been working

02:24all around Australia, right through central New South Wales to Rochester and Victoria,

02:29and they are doing a great job. I send them our best wishes from the parliament for helping

02:32people affected.

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