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This is an unprecedented emergency. Our current disaster recovery funding arrangements with the Commonwealth don’t right now cover the situation we’re in.

So the one-off hardship payments, we’ve already got the re-establishment grants but in terms of households without power for weeks and weeks and weeks, the current disaster recovery arrangements between state and federal governments do not cover, so we need to move swiftly to make an additional announcement and that’s what I’m doing here today.

So we’re announcing a prolonged power outage payment a … prolonged outage payment payment of $1,680.

That’s reflective of the one-off hardship payments so that’s around $580 per adult and then payments for children and so it’s up to $1,680.

This will be eligible to all households that are without power from 17 June.

I had a discussion with the acting prime minister this morning, a very positive discussion with the acting prime minister and I formal request for co-payment. This will be under category D of our disaster recovery arrangements with the federal government, so this will be a new payment.

We’re asking the federal government to go 50/50 on this. The acting prime minister was very positive and, as I said, a formal request has been put through.

A couple of other things I want to mention in addition to this payment.

So this will go towards whether it’s basic supplies or whether it’s to help support people find alternative accommodation off the hill as power is restored over coming weeks.

In addition to that, I’m also announcing the bushfire recovery Victoria will take the lead in terms of supporting and coordinating the clean-up and the recovery.

I had a long discussion with the CEO of Yarra Ranges Council. This cleanup and elsewhere around the state is beyond the reach of any local government.