Transcript - TV interview - Sky News, Breakfast with Jaynie Seal

JAYNIE SEAL [HOST]: We're returning to this week's horror crash in the Hunter region, where ten people were killed. We're joined now by Kristy McBain, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Member for Eden-Monaro. Thank you so much, Minister, for joining us. It's been a horrible week with that incident across the Newcastle region, where we're renowned for wineries and celebrations. Thoughts, of course, with everyone affected. You know well about tight knit communities, yourself being the member for Eden-Monaro. Just again, our thoughts to everyone affected, but what is it about the tiny communities that really bring people together?

KRISTY MCBAIN [MINISTER]: Good morning, Jaynie. It is a tragic accident that's taken place in the Hunter region there and we've heard this week in Parliament addresses from the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and the Member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi. We know how our communities, especially our small communities, come together in times of tragedy. Unfortunately for so many people across the Hunter region, these are people that they played sport with, people that they knew from daycare centres and schools, people that worked in the local shops. It is going to impact that community for a significant period of time. I've spoken with some of the local mayors from the area who are putting in place a range of options for community to drop in to talk about some of the things that are impacting them. There will be councillors available, but it's at times like these you realise how our small communities do pull together and they are there supporting each other, doing things like GoFundMe pages, putting on small events to get people together so they can mourn together. I want to give a special shout out to the people across the Hunter. The rest of regional Australia really is with you, supporting you and will be there for you in the long run. A big thank you to my colleague, Dan Repacholi, who has been making sure that all of those sentiments are passed on through the Parliament as well.

SEAL: Yeah, it's been really tough week, as you said, and we spoke to the CEO of Headspace yesterday, Jason Trethowan, and he made some really interesting points about shock and grief in terms of the mixed emotions that people may feel and how it's so personal, how people are dealing with it. And as you said, Minister, so much support there, not only in the area where the horrific bus crash happened, but across the regions and across the whole country. Let's turn to some other news. The Bureau of Meteorology is reporting a 70 per cent chance of an El Nino occurring. Our meteorologists here at Sky News are saying that it could be around an 85 per cent chance. What are you hearing, Minister, from locals regarding preparing for potential hotter and drier than average conditions for much of Australia?

MCBAIN: It’s really important that we are preparing and we know from across the country, we move from La Nina to El Nino rapidly, and we want to make sure that we are prepared. Our government is already investing in those potential drought issues. We've got $40 million going to a drought resilience hub. We need to make sure that we are preparing farm trials for more drought resilient crops going forward. I've heard from many local farmers, including in my own region, who are saying, look, we actually need more research into what our farming lands are going to be able to produce if we are moving to drier seasons. It’s really great to be investing in that now, before that comes along. We've got investments in drought grants for communities as well, investments in scholarship programs for drought impacted families as well, a whole range of initiatives that are targeted for if we do go into that period. It’s a government that is planning, preparing and investing upfront, rather than waiting till the time when that potentially gets here. That’s what communities are asking for. They're asking to be more prepared for the next season coming and they're asking us to make sure that our research and development is done up front so that they can make their own planned investments on their farms, so that they can keep securing their livelihoods on the land.

SEAL: And we know, unfortunately, with drier and hotter conditions, Minister, the potential for increased bushfires and with the recent heavier rainfall, there's increased vegetation, so not a good mix, unfortunately. Let's hope, of course, it doesn't happen. But we also know from the fires prior to COVID, many people are still not in homes.

MCBAIN: That's right. We know that that bushfire risk has continued to grow, quite literally, as we've had so much rain on the ground and that land is not being maintained as people would like it to be. It's really incumbent upon governments to be working together in land management. I’m so proud that the Albanese Labor Government has announced round one of our Disaster Ready Fund. We want to work with communities to make sure that they are better prepared for the next natural disaster. Those dollars will now flow come next month into projects across the country, which includes things like evacuation shelters, flood levees, flood warning systems, community resilience building. It's really important that we are working with local communities across the country so that they are better prepared for the next natural disaster.

SEAL: All right Minister, tell us what's happening tomorrow regarding bringing local government back to the table.

MCBAIN: It’s fantastic. Tomorrow we are having the first Australian Council of Local Government in over ten years. A really fantastic initiative that brings local government into Canberra, having direct conversations with Federal Ministers. It's really important, given that this level of government is in every town and village across the country. We want to work with them to understand community priorities across the country. It's going to be a fabulous event. We’ve got over 650 attendees from across the country. Councillors, mayors and CEOs. I look forward to the conversations that we'll be having tomorrow. I want to give a shout out to all of those councillors and mayors who are able to attend Canberra. There will be a formal process that we will go through after this so that we can make sure that two-way feedback is there, but it's really great. They are a trusted delivery partner of the Federal Government and we are absolutely thrilled to have them back at the table with the Federal Government dealing with community priorities across the country.

SEAL: Minister, thank you very much for your time and we'll see you again same time next week.