Prime Minister lends hand in Hawkesbury, praises community response

Scott Morrison has praised the “strong community resilience” of the Hawkesbury, visiting volunteers and first responders as the area begins its long recovery. This comes as veterans hit hard by the floods are eligible for emergency payments.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has spent the morning visiting flood impacted communities along the Hawkesbury River after last night officially declaring a national emergency.

The Prime Minister had nothing but praise for the Hawkesbury River communities who are now in clean-up mode as flood waters recede.

“Whenever I go to these terrible events I see the same thing every single time and that is such a strong community resilience response,” he said.

The PM met with frontline emergency responders at Windsor Police Station. Chief Inspector Karen Clogher led the briefing. Picture: Julian Andrews

“Here in the Hawkesbury on this occasion after the events of a year ago, the preparedness, the resilience that has been built up, the way the homes have been fitted out to better equip themselves to face a flood.”

“That doesn’t mean the flood doesn’t have a terrible impact, of course it does, but the readiness and the way people help themselves and help each other is always a part of natural disasters in this country.”

After visiting the Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands food bank and the Windsor police station, Mr Morrison said the Commonwealth is spending $1 billion to the recovery effort.

The Prime Minister and wife Jenny also met with volunteers at food bank charity Hawkesbury Helping Hands. Picture: Julian Andrews

The charity is making food parcels for flood affected families. Picture: Julian Andrews

So far the federal government has put 4,348 ADF troops in NSW to help with the recovery and 2,819 of those are in the Northern Rivers region.

Mr Morrison said the two big issues in the Lismore area after the clean up will be housing and the water treatment plant.

“The water treatment plant is something that the Premier and I have been discussing, and I know the local mayor out there in Lismore they’re very troubled about this and I’m very keen to see that that gets sorted out, that will that will create health issues if that’s not sorted out as well,” he said.

Last night, the PM met with the Governor-General to officially declare a national emergency in NSW. Picture: Julian Andrews

Mr Morrison said he consulted with both the NSW and Queensland premiers and decided to declare a national emergency for just NSW last night.

“In NSW particularly in the Northern Rivers is absolutely devastating, they’ve had an inland tsunami,” Mr Morrison said.

“Last night I met with the Governor-General in Canberra and we declared the state of emergency for NSW,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the decision was made not to declare an emergency in Queensland after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it wasn’t necessary.

“When the Premier tells me she doesn’t think it’s necessary, I’m going to listen,” he said.

Veterans get flood help

Veterans who lost everything or were left homeless from the floods are being handed $3000 in emergency payments.

RSL LifeCare – a branch of the NSW RSL – has identified 37 veterans who will receive the funding, along with a $100 coles gift voucher.

Lismore RSL sub-branch volunteer Di McClelland said the grants were being transferred directly onto veteran bank accounts for instant access.

She said some veterans – who were aged from early 30s to 83 years- were living in evacuation centres while others had managed to find shelter in the homes of relatives or local community members.

“Some have lost homes, but others have lost all of their possessions,” she said.

“Imagine being 83 and losing everything?

“The payment is going straight into their bank account.”

Veterans Affairs Minister David Elliott, who will head up to Lismore on Thursday to meet with the veterans, said he would be inspecting the local war memorial to determine if it can be repaired in time for Anzac Day.

“I’ll be doing a welfare check and having lunch with them,” he said.

“Some of these veterans have PTSD from service-related injury. Having been a member of the RSL for more than 25 years, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly they are there to support fellow diggers.

“We will also inspect the war memorial at Lismore to see if it can be repaired in time for Anzac Day. The last few ceremonies have been impacted by Covid regulations. The day is the most sacred day on the calendar for these soldiers and we want to do everything we can to make it back to normal as possible.”

Originally published as Prime Minister lends hand in Hawkesbury, praises community response