Senator PAYNE (New South Wales—Minister for Human Services) (14:58): Thank you for the question, Senator Williams, because the parts of New South Wales that were heavily impacted obviously are very familiar to both of us. Several weeks ago, between 20 and 23 April, a large part of the New South Wales coast, from Sydney to the Hunter area, was battered by the most intense East Coast low that we have seen since the storms of the Pasha Bulker in 2007. Severe flooding affected the Hunter Valley. It inundated homes. It isolated communities for days, and it actually claimed the lives of four people. Opposition senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: On my left! Senator PAYNE: On Wednesday 23 April my colleague the federal Minister for Justice and the New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services announced a very comprehensive joint Commonwealth and state assistance program under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. That assistance provided help for state agencies and local councils, for small businesses, for primary producers and for non-profit organisations, as well as immediate assistance to individuals. Senator Cameron interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator Cameron! Senator PAYNE: On the Friday of that week it became increasingly clear that the extent of the damage was extraordinarily serious. The then Acting Prime Minister, Mr Truss, the Minister for Justice and I announced additional government assistance in the form of the disaster recovery payment and the disaster recovery allowance for those who were hardest hit in the Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Central Coast and the mid-north coast regions. The Department of Human Services is responsible for administering both of those payments. As at the close of business yesterday, we had granted 29,272 disaster recovery payment claims, which is a total of $36.9 million, as well as 253 disaster recovery allowance and equivalent ex gratia assistance claims. We have also taken over 39,660 phone calls in response to the New South Wales coast storms and flooding. (Time expired)