Labor criticises Coalition for not spending more from emergency fund amid severe flooding

The federal government has defended the use of its $4.8bn emergency fund amid mounting criticism that only a fraction has so far been spent, as the flood crisis unfolds across two states.

Labor had also criticised GoFundMe crowdfunding pages, set up over the weekend by Coalition MPs Peter Dutton and Luke Howarth to aid flood relief in their home state of Queensland, after this reignited concern about funding being paid out under the ERF.

Department officials told estimates that $50m of the ERF had been allocated to flood mitigation, another $50m for floods was in the process of being allocated, while a third round of $50m was allocated to the Coastal and Estuarine Risk Mitigation Program on the day before the Senate hearing.

For the current flood crisis, for example, the federal government is providing Disaster Recovery Payments of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child affected.