Scott Morrison to stump up millions for bushfire crisis

The federal government will spend hundreds of millions of dollars reconstructing fire-affected critical infrastructure and housing.

Scott Morrison takes a look at a map of the south coast area impacted by bushfire during an operational update at HMAS Albatross in Nowra on Sunday. Picture: AAP

The federal government will spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the reconstruction of fire-ravaged bridges, roads, critical infrastructure and public housing, as Scott Morrison pledges to commit “everything that is needed and more” to the bushfire recovery.

The Prime Minister and Josh Frydenberg will launch the government’s national bushfire recovery agency on Monday, to be led by former Australian Federal Police commissioner Andrew ­Colvin for at least two years.

The states will not be asked to match the federal government’s funding, amid warnings it was still too early to assess the full economic impact of the devastating fires.

The government’s national bushfire recovery agency will be led by Andrew ­Colvin for at least two years. Picture Gary Ramage

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews revealed late on Sunday he already had an extensive list of ­reconstruction projects that he would ask the new agency to fund, requiring hundreds of millions of dollars.

Mr Morrison said the agency would offer income support to the hundreds of farmers, small business owners and residents who have had their properties and livelihoods destroyed.

Fences will be rebuilt and the “fairly grisly” operation of removing the thousands of animal carcasses will be completed as soon as possible, he said.

“I will not be seeking matching funding from states and territories for what the commonwealth will be providing,” Mr Morrison said.

“I have no doubt they (the agency and states) will have a long list of recovery tasks that they will be performing, as we saw in Queensland (after the 2019 floods).

“Rebuilding of bridges, rebuilding of roads and other critical ­infrastructure ... we will just work hand in glove, as we have in ­response to previous crises, to ­ensure the recovery commences and is undertaken in a timely way and getting that support, particularly to small businesses.”

The funding of the bushfire recovery agency is not expected to delay the government delivering its much-anticipated budget surplus this financial year, which was downgraded from $7.1bn to $5bn last month.

“Our primary concern is not with the financial costs but the human cost,” the Treasurer told The Australian.

“Everything that can be done is being done and as the Prime Minister has made clear we will continue to work closely with the states to get support to those who need it most.”

Mr Andrews, whose state has experienced some of the worst fires in recent days in East Gippsland, estimated Victoria would need “hundreds of millions” of dollars to rebuild.

“I have a very long list of roads and bridges, community infrastructure, public housing; the list goes on and on,” Mr Andrews said.

“We will need the commonwealth government’s support and I’m very, very pleased, very pleased that the Prime Minister has been so clear so early that Victoria will get everything it needs and more.”

A spokeswoman for NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the clean-up and recovery would take weeks, months and in some cases years but declined to ­estimate how much that would cost. “We are grateful for any support that will help affected communities get back on their feet as soon as possible,” she said.

The government has already committed more than $100m in direct payments to people affected by the fires, but Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud said a “localised solution” was required.

It was important Australians who had lost loved ones, their homes and businesses understood the nation was with them and shared their grief, he said.

“We are not just going to build the infrastructure, we are going to rebuild the lives,” Mr Littleproud said. “Whether it be in Kangaroo Island, whether it be Mallacoota or whether it be in Stanthorpe, we need to make sure that the recovery is tailored to those the local communities to get them up back up on their feet. “(It) is also the huge numbers of native species that we’ve lost through these fires.”

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said Mr Colvin had experience in co-ordinating disaster response, notably his police work following the 2002 Bali bombings.

Very pleased to see former AFP Commissioner Andrew Colvin appointed to lead bushfire recovery agency. Andrew is not only extremely capable but has long experience of working collaboratively and respectfully with state and territory agencies.

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) January 5, 2020

“He is very tech-savvy as well. Also a very sound, calm and professional leader who is very measured and does not panic in a crisis,” Mr Turnbull tweeted.

The establishment of the agency is a key plank of the Morrison government’s response to the bushfires and will be modelled on the national drought and north Queensland flood recovery agency that was set up last year.

Mental health support for ­people affected by the fires will also be a major focus.

About $25m in disaster payments has been paid to fire victims so far, the majority of them in NSW.