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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-07-29 Daily Xml
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Natural Disaster Resilience Program Grants

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (15:09): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. What Natural Disaster Resilience Program grants will be made available for South Australians to assist in protecting their communities from natural disasters?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light—Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:09): I thank the honourable member for his question and his interest in keeping our community safe. The National Partnership Agreement for Natural Disaster Resilience, which was signed by the Premier and the Prime Minister in early 2014, is an important funding source enabling South Australia to progress the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. This strategy helps to reduce the impact of emergencies, develop appropriate emergency management capability and capacity, and provide support for volunteers.

Natural disasters are a fact of life in Australia; you only have to look back seven months to the devastating Sampson Flat bushfire. Natural disasters have an enormous impact on our economy and can cripple businesses and communities. However, communities across South Australia are stepping up efforts to manage natural disaster risks. Today, the commonwealth Minister for Justice (Hon. Michael Keenan) and I have announced more than $5.5 million worth of projects to assist communities across South Australia to build resilience to natural disasters.

These projects, led by state agencies, local councils, non-government organisations and volunteer organisations are all designed to help communities better prepare for and respond to natural disasters. The funding, which is provided by the federal and state governments, will deliver a variety of projects to support the community in their efforts. Funding will go to 33 projects, including:

$40,000 to directly support the social recovery of Sampson Flat and surrounding communities impacted by the significant bushfire events in January 2015;

$88,000 will go to the District Council of Mallala for the Parham Foreshore Levee Upgrades project and the Middle Beach Community Emergency Plan;

$74,000 will go to the Australian Red Cross to build resilience in culturally and linguistically diverse communities—

Mr KNOLL: Point of order, Mr Speaker: unfortunately, the state government does not control the federal government and all of this information is in a release dated 29 July, which is on the Hon. Michael Keenan's website, detailing the cost and the projects that that money will go to.

The SPEAKER: Well, that it is on the website of a minister of another jurisdiction albeit publicly available, is to apply the rule, in my view, too rigorously. If the member for Schubert can establish that the minister is reading one of his own news releases, I will pull him up.

Mr KNOLL: It actually says 'Joint media release' on here.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Can the minister assure me that nothing he is advising the house has been issued as a news release in his name?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: No, it hasn't.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Sorry; I can assure you it hasn't.

The SPEAKER: You can assure me?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Yes.

The SPEAKER: Minister.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Thank you. $11,300—

Mr Knoll: '—to establish a mobile large animal rescue capability and conduct associated volunteer training.'

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Thank you.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Okay. Mr Speaker, $11,300 for the Horse Federation of South Australia to establish a mobile large animal rescue capability and conduct associated volunteer training, and $315,000—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Mr Speaker, given—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Minister.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: I can continue?

The SPEAKER: Is the minister telling us something we do not already know?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Your question, Mr Speaker, was: is this a result of a press release I have put out myself in this state, and the answer is no.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Mr Speaker, the information was clearly provided—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: The information—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: No, I am not taking a point of order; I am listening to the minister.

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Thank you. Mr Speaker, the information obviously was provided by my agencies to the federal minister, because it is a joint activity, so I think it is quite appropriate that we announce it—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Mr Speaker, $315,000 for the Country Fire Service for bushfire management planning; $200,000 for the SES for several projects, including extreme weather and heatwave, and $63,000 for Surf Live Saving SA. Mr Speaker, I congratulate all the recipients.

Mr KNOLL: Point of order: the bottom of the press release states, 'A complete list of projects can be found at safecom.sa.gov.au', which is a state government website.

The SPEAKER: Is the minister finished?

The Hon. A. PICCOLO: Yes.

The SPEAKER: The member for Adelaide.

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