Rental crisis threatens to leave flood victims with nowhere to go

River residents will be forced out of their homes, local representatives say, but what happens next is still a worrying mystery for many.

Securing accommodation for people forced from their homes by the flooding River Murray will be made tougher by an existing rental crisis in the Riverland and by the influx of seasonal workers required for the region’s harvest season.

MP for Chaffey, which covers the Riverland, Tim Whetstone said the state government needed to give more clarity in how it was going to help river residents forced out of homes by the looming floods, which could the worst since 1956.
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“We know that there’s a huge backlog already on public housing or emergency housing and just how are the government going to address these displaced people out of homes,’’ Mr Whetstone said.

“We need to better understand what the impacts will be.’’

Mr Whetstone said it was likely communities in his electorate such as Gurra Gurra, Paisley and Moorook would be evacuated.

Water laps at the veranda of a riverside property at Morgan in the Riverland. Picture: Jamie Bruce

He said the demand for accommodation was always high in the Riverland at this time of year.

“Those people will be competing against the seasonal workforce,’’ he said.

“We’ve got people coming into the region and for grain harvest.

“Then we’ve got stone fruit harvest, we’ve got citrus ongoing, and then all of a sudden we’ll hit vintage.’’

According to real estate research group PropTrack, the rental vacancy rate in the Riverland area is 0.73 per cent.

Mapped: Riverland pictures and flood mapping tool

Further along the river, in the Murray and Mallee regions, PropTrack said the rental vacancy rate was 0.53 per cent.

Member for Hammond Adrian Pederick said he expected there would be many people around Mannum alone that would need to find somewhere to stay, possibly for many months until the river recedes.

“I have not seen too much clarity on the housing options,’’ Mr Pederick said. “Hundreds of people will be dislocated and we need some answers on that.’’

He said part of the problem was that people were not sure whether their power would be cut off and called on SA Power Networks to keep people informed.

Housing Minister Nat Cook said the state government had “plans to support hundreds of people with emergency and medium term accommodation if needed’’.

Chaffey MP Tim Whetstone. Picture: Emma Brasier

Hammond MP Adrian Pederick. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

“The government has a plan in place for specific relief accommodation should the need arise,’’ Ms Cook said.

The state government last week announced a $51.6 million relief package for the Riverland, which included rent assistance of up to $2000 for singles and $5000 for families who could not find alternative accommodation.

However, Mr Pederick said while he appreciated the state government’s funding, there had been no information on how people could access the help they needed.

“We’re trying to get application forms but they just don’t exist, they have to get on it,’’ he said. ”They have put out a shiny press release but there’s nothing behind it.’’

A state government spokesman said the government “taking every step’’ to make sure people received payments as quickly as possible.

The spokesman said relief centres would open in the Riverland next week so people could apply in person.