‘Insulting’: Flood victims abandoned by bureaucratic disaster relief delays
Flood-affected communities have been left devastated by the federal and state Labor governments’ “insulting” support package, as a blame game erupts between governments over how much money should have been put aside.
NSW
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Farmers and small business owners have been left devastated by the federal and state Labor governments’ “insulting” support package for flood-affected communities, as a blame game erupts between governments over how much money should have been put aside.
More than a week after the mid north coast was ravaged by record floods, Anthony Albanese and Premier Chris Minns announced disaster recovery grants of up to $25,000 for eligible small businesses and primary producers.
Yet farmers and business owners have warned the financial packages are too small to save their businesses, with many losing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock and their entire livelihoods.
The recovery grants pale in comparison to those offered under the former NSW Coalition government during floods in 2021 and 2022, when primary producers were offered up to $75,000 to help them rebuild. Eligible small businesses could access up to $50,000.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the Minns government did not ask its federal counterpart for anywhere near the same amount of money the former government did during the previous floods.
It is understood the former NSW government specifically requested grants for primary producers of up to than $75,000 from the Commonwealth. Federal Labor sources have said the Minns government did not request that level of assistance.
The Minns government in turn hit back, saying federal rule changes last year capped Category C disaster grant requests at $25,000 and stated further Category D grant requests could only be made at a later time.
NSW Recovery Minister Janelle Saffin said the state government would be requesting further support for businesses and farmers.
“The Commonwealth has made clear to states it fully expects them to make requests for Category C support before making Category D requests,” she said.
Struggling residents have warned their businesses will collapse without more financial help.
Taree dairy farmer Milton Johnston has already spent more than $50,000 trying to clean up his farm. He has lost two sheds and has had to sell some of his 300-strong herd after the floods.
While the farm would usually produce more than two million litres of milk per year, it will be lucky to produce less than half that amount in the future.
“Let’s hope there’ll be more packages but the $25,000 is really only a pittance,” Mr Johnston said.
“It’s nowhere near enough … we’ll need three or four times that amount.
“We’ve been absolutely smashed … we have mountains of rubbish and trash. It’s totally displaced us, we can’t even milk from our own dairy.”
Mr Johnston received a visit from the Prime Minister last week but said he didn’t receive any assurances help was coming.
“He was fairly tight-lipped about what will happen,” he said.
Taree oyster farmer Peita Carroll, who received a visit from the Premier last week, said the grant was so low, she faced having to abandon her business. She lost $250,000 worth of oyster stock during the floods.
“With the $25,000 payment we don’t know if we can continue – we will have to walk away,” she said.
“I’m just heartbroken – when you compare it to the 2021 flood we were offered assistance of $75,000 straight up – it didn’t feel like we had to fight just to stay alive.”
Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said the NSW government “was still collecting information on the impact to primary producers”.
“We will continue to work hand-in-hand with the NSW Government and of course will consider any additional funding requests from them when it is asked for,” she said.
NSW agriculture spokesman Dugald Saunders said the $25,000 grants were “an absolute insult” to the mid north coast communities.
“Both the Prime Minister and the Premier visited Taree, Wingham and Kempsey last week and stood on farms where people have lost absolutely everything – so I’m struggling to understand how they have come to this figure,” he said.
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Originally published as ‘Insulting’: Flood victims abandoned by bureaucratic disaster relief delays
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