Karl Stefanovic:
Let's go now to Treasurer Jim Chalmers who joins us live from his home town in Logan. Treasurer, thanks for your time, really appreciate it.
Look, new tracking confirms Alfred is on a collision course with Brissy, but it has slowed down.
Sarah Abo:
Yeah.
Stefanovic:
I think that only prolongs the anxiety, doesn't it?
Jim Chalmers:
Yes, when they say it's slowed down, they don't mean the winds have slowed down, it just means it's taking a bit longer to arrive. I think people are expecting it now to come ashore on Friday during the day rather than overnight Thursday/Friday and so it's an anxious wait.
There are about 4.5 million Australians potentially in harm's way, that's about 1.8 million homes, and we're expecting billions and billions of dollars' worth of damage.
So my advice to all your viewers, Karl, I'm sure others have been providing this advice this morning is to make the most of the time that we have available. If you haven't yet brought everything in from inside, the bins, if you haven't secured your home, do that ASAP, and also make sure you know how to make an insurance claim, make sure you've got your myGov details sorted out, your logins for both of those sorts of things, because we need to make the most of this time that we have. We do have a bit of warning which is unusual, it's also unusual to get a cyclone this far south and that's why there are so many people in harm's way in this huge population centre.
Stefanovic:
Yeah.
Chalmers:
Here in Logan, it's kind of the calm before the storm right now. We had some rain overnight, but we know, as we've seen in your footage in your news bulletins that we're already seeing the beginnings of it on the coast and so it will be with us before long.
Abo:
Yeah, I think what you say there, Treasurer, is right, you know, it's sort of patchy, we are copping it a little bit, and the sun seems to be coming out now, but who knows when the next shower will come down on us. The issue I guess is that, as Karl mentioned before, there may be some complacency because this has been delayed. You know, you've spoken about the human cost of this disaster if people aren't prepared, things could get really serious for them.
Chalmers:
Oh, yeah, don't be complacent, you know people cannot be complacent about this, this is going to be a very serious weather event, millions of people are in harm's way, and so do what you need to do to prepare. There's a lot of good advice in from official sources about the sorts of things that you should be doing.
You know, in my neighbourhood people are out there bringing the bins in to the garage, doing all sorts of things to get ready; make the most of this time that we have.
You know, I was also speaking with the CEOs of some of the major insurers last night, they are putting in place the preparations they need to do to make sure that they can process a heap of claims as well.
And one of the things that we talked about was to remember when you're dealing with people in the south‑east corner of Queensland or northern New South Wales, often the people at the other end of the phone, they live here, and they're also impacted, and so we need to be kind to each other, we need to be there for each other, look out for each other, that's the best thing we can do.
It's going to be a really difficult couple of days, but the weeks and months that follow will be hard as well, and I wanted to assure people, I know that in difficult times Australians are there for each other and the government will be there for them as well.
Stefanovic:
All right. Look, I don't think if you haven't been through a cyclone, and a lot of people, the majority of Queenslanders wouldn't have, when those cyclonic winds hit, it can sound like a freight train, and that can instil a fair bit of panic especially if it's at night. You've got to have a plan and how are you going to ride it out, and do you have a plan if it hits your house?
Chalmers:
Yeah, we've been doing all the things that have been part of the advice, bringing everything in, obviously we'll fill up the bath tub, we'll do all of that, make sure that everything's in order. But one of the things I noticed talking to a lot of people around the neighbourhood around my local community here, it's because the schools are closed, that's one of the things where you have to talk to your kids about it, you have to prepare your kids for it without kind of overdoing it. So I think there's a lot of those conversations going around here in the south‑east corner and in northern New South Wales, people getting ready, making the most of this opportunity, this notice that we've had to get ready, and I really encourage people to do that. Don't leave it any later, don't procrastinate, it will be here before we know it and you'll be grateful you did the preparation when it comes.
Abo:
Yeah, no doubt a lot of these communities will need a funding boost as well. Treasurer, just finally, with all of this happening, as you mentioned, 4.5 million people likely to be impacted by this cyclone, I mean there's no way you're calling an election this weekend, is it – as expected it was supposed to be on Sunday, surely that weighs into your decision making.
Chalmers:
Oh, Sarah, I think you'll understand and hopefully your viewers understand as well, I haven't been thinking about election timing, I've been thinking about the likely impacts of this cyclone, and also my job in the economy, the National Accounts that came out yesterday which showed the Australian economy turned a corner. So I think you'll understand, I'll leave the kind of commentary and thinking about election timing to others. My focus is close to home right now helping people get ready for the next few days.
Stefanovic:
Well, both you and Peter Dutton riding it out in your respective homes in Queensland, wish you and everyone else in your neighbourhoods all the very best. Appreciate your time.
Abo:
Thank you, Treasurer.