Qld storms: Anthony Albanese promises more cash during Gold Coast visit
Insurers have been urged to do the right thing by victims of Queensland’s vicious summer storms as politicians announce more disaster payments.
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Federal treasurer Jim Chalmers has called on insurers to “do the right thing” and not dud Queensland disaster victims as he also dismissed the mounting cost of the devastating floods and storms to the Budget.
Dr Chalmers on Tuesday joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt, Queensland Premier Steven Miles, his deputy Cameron Dick and Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate on the Glitter Strip to announce $20m in new disaster payments for victims of the Christmas-New Year storms and floods.
Mr Miles revealed that southeast Queensland had been hit with about 3.5 million lightning strikes over the holiday period - compared with just 38,000 over a similar period a year ago.
Asked about reports of insurers rejecting claims, Dr Chalmers said victims were suffering enough.
“Our message from all three levels of government to the insurers is very clear - do the right thing by your customers,” he said.
“People have been through hell in some of these communities - hosing out homes, throwing away a lifetime of belongings, being in physical danger.
“The last thing that people need is insurance companies stuffing them around.”
Senator Watt said insurers had improved their performance and responsiveness to consumers in recent years “but the last thing that people want to see happen right now is to be dudded by an insurance company through finding some kind of a loophole”.
“We’ve got all governments standing together, we’ve got entire communities standing together, we need to see the corporate sector stand with Australians in their hour of need as well,” he said.
Asked about the impact of the recent disasters in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia on the Budget, Mr Albanese said: “We’re going to make sure that people aren’t left behind.”
Dr Chalmers said the government’s primary focus was on the human cost of the disasters.
“Of course there’ll be an economic cost and a Budget cost as well, and that will become clearer in the coming weeks and months,” he said.
“Australians are there for each other when times are tough and all three levels of government will be there for people as well as they contemplate this recovery and this rebuilding effort.
“We will do whatever we can to fund people through difficult times.”
Mr Albanese’s return to Queensland comes nearly three weeks after he travelled to Far North Queensland to survey flood damage.
Mr Albanese and Mr Miles are expected to head back to the Far North.
The newly announced financial support will be on top of the $64 million in joint funding announced just before Christmas and will be expanded to include South East Queensland.
“I know it has been a rough time for Queenslanders who’ve faced a deluge of destruction at a time when they should have been celebrating and relaxing with loved ones,” Mr Albanese said.
“My team stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Queenslanders, with more support on the way to help with the clean-up and recovery.”
Mr Miles said Queensland was the most disaster affected state in the country and was familiar with situations like these.
“In the weeks since Christmas we have seen the worst mother nature has to throw at us, but it has brought out the best in the Queensland spirit,” he said.
Queenslanders hardest hit by the freak storms in the state’s south east gained access to extra financial support starting at $1000 on January 8.
The federal government has opened applications for two more disaster relief payments thousands of eligible residents in suburbs across the Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim.
This includes government payments of $1000 per adult and $400 per dependent child for those who have suffered significant injury or loss due to the storms — including major damage due to trees crashing into homes, losing roofs or major flood damage
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