SUNRAYSIA will have the full backing of the Federal Government as it recovers from the Murray River flood, Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt has promised.
Visiting the district on Monday, a week after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese bypassed Mildura in favour of inspecting flood preparations downstream in South Australia, Senator Watt, who is also the agriculture minister, inspected flooded farming properties and met with civic leaders to discuss a recovery that could take many months.
Besides agricultural losses, the region is also expected to miss out on tens of millions of dollars in summer tourist spending, as river levels stay high well into the new year.
"It was important for me to come and see it first hand so we can really make sure, at a national level, that we're providing the support that people here, locally, need," Senator Watt said at the flooded Mildura riverfront after a brief tour of the area with Mayor Liam Wood.
He said the Federal Government had already provided almost a million dollars in disaster recovery assistance to people within the Mildura municipality and would continue to listen to individuals and the community to learn what more was needed as the situation developed.
Joint federal-state recovery grants of up to $75,000 were available for primary producers, who could also apply for low-interest loans of up to $250,000.
"Over the last few months I've obviously spent a lot of time in many different parts of Australia that are experiencing flooding and I think the thing that's hitting me here in Mildura is that we know that there's more to come, more water coming down both the Murray and the Darling," Senator Watt said.
He said he knew the tourism hit Sunraysia was taking was also significant.
"I know that this is the peak season for tourism and all of the houseboats would normally be packed with people and going up and down the river, but instead, unfortunately, they're tied to trees," he said.
"There's certainly something for us (the government) to think about in terms of support for the tourist industry here."
Senator Watt said he would be reporting his Mildura experience directly to the Prime Minister.
"The Federal Government is standing with you and will continue to provide support," he said.
Mayor Wood said the brief talks he'd had with Senator Watt had been "really positive".
"Probably the best thing is (the minister) just being here," he said.
"To have the one-on-one conversation is really good, and we've really made sure that at the forefront of this is the fact that a lot of our businesses are indirectly affected by the floods.
"We want to make sure that the floods recovery is a strong financial one and a prolonged one.
"We need help for many months, if not years, to come."
The Bureau of Meteorology says the Murray River at Mildura Weir may reach 38.4 metres (Australian Height Datum) around December 14-16, with moderate flooding. It says a prolonged peak is possible through to late December.
The bureau also says the Murray at Wentworth may reach 34.2 metres AHD around 17-19 December, with major flooding, and that a prolonged peak is possible through to early January.
On the Darling River, the bureau says major flooding is now occurring at Wilcannia, Tilpa, Louth and Bourke, all upstream of the Menindee Lakes system. It says major flooding may accour at Burtundy, between Pooncarie and Wentworth, late this month.
