Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-11-16 Daily Xml

Contents

Regional Emergency Accommodation

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding regional emergency accommodation.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Some permanent residents of the Barmera caravan park have been given two weeks' notice to evacuate due to rising water levels. Many of these people work in local businesses and due to the current rental shortages are now having to consider moving away. My question to the minister is: what emergency accommodation has been provided to local residents in the Riverland who are either homeless or being forced to evacuate from their homes, and how is this information being communicated to the Riverland public?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for her question. Of course, as we would all be aware, it is a significant issue when there are requirements to evacuate. We have seen the very difficult situations in New South Wales and Victoria over recent weeks. Fortunately, we are not at the levels of flooding that they are, but of course it is still causing significant disruption. As I have answered a question in regard to housing a few weeks ago—I think, from memory, it was the Hon. Robert Simms—in regard to the sorts of measures that are in place, I refer the member back to that answer.