‘Where are you mate?’ Premier Steven Miles blasted for taking hols amid flood chaos

Premier Steven Miles has shown up at a press conference about the severe weather pounding the Gold Coast after he was slammed for taking holidays during the deluge. VOTE IN POLL

• Analysis: Premier’s move avoids political gamble

Premier Steven Miles has cut short time on a family holiday to travel to the Gold Coast amid the severe weather and inspect damaged businesses after he was criticised by the Opposition for going on leave during the deluge.

Gold Coast LNP member Mark Boothman had made an emotional plea to Mr Miles to return from holidays as he fronted the cameras on Tuesday with Opposition Leader David Crisafulli in the wake of devastating weather in the region.

Flanked by small business owner Spectrum Plants’ Wesley Trevor – whose nursery was hit by a freak tornado and subsequent flooding – Mr Boothman urged Mr Miles to return from leave and see the catastrophe first-hand.

“First we had a tornado – now we’ve got floods,” he said.

“My residents, they’re at breaking point, and I just want to say to the Premier – ‘where are you mate?’ We need help down here.”

Premier Steven Miles and Mayor Tom Tate on the Gold Coast. Picture: Annette Dew

Despite being technically on leave until Thursday – with Deputy Premier and Treasurer Cameron Dick the state’s acting premier – Mr Miles spent several hours on Tuesday with Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, including inspecting damage to small businesses and attending the local disaster management centre.

He also held a press conference with Mr Tate at about 12.30pm, and The Courier-Mail understands the Premier also attended Tuesday’s morning disaster briefing via teleconference.

Earlier on Tuesday Mr Boothman became teary as he relayed how the devastating weather and flash flooding had smashed his local residents, saying the impact was “too much for us”.

“I’m getting emotional about this, because of the amount of lives I’ve actually seen in my community completely and utterly devastated,” he said.

“I’ve got people who are not going to get power potentially for weeks.

“I’ve got people whose houses have been completely destroyed. I’ve got businesses who employ local people, and these businesses in the next few weeks are going to have serious cash flow issues. They need help.

Premier Steven Miles was present in the days following the tornado but has since gone on holidays. Picture: John Gass

“And I just say (to the Premier) mate, come back. We need help mate – we really do.”

Mr Trevor said the weather had wiped out about 40,000 plants in his business and about half a million dollars worth of structural damage had occurred – and he still needed to pay a weekly wage bill of about $10,000 for his 15 staff.

Owner of Spectrum Plants Gold Coast Wes Trevor tells how his business is destroyed after the double whammy of storms and floods. Pics Adam Head

“I can’t see how I’m going to generate enough cash flow to keep my staff employed … I’m not going to last very long. I just can’t see it mentally. I can’t see a way out of the situation,” he said.

Flash flooding at Mudgeeraba. Pic: Adam Head

“I’m not one for handouts, but we need help. There’s no doubt about that, if I’m to keep staff members and stay afloat, even stay in business, I’m going to need something.”

The emotional plea comes after up to 580mm of rain has fallen across the Gold Coast region in the past week – most of it in the past two days.

The city is in the grip of widespread flooding and follows the devastating Christmas night tornado which ripped a path through the hinterland and northern Gold Coast, leaving 100,000+ homes without power for days.

In pictures: Flood devastation across SE Qld

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Len la Tours home which was totally destroyed by deadly storms over the holidays in southeast Queensland. Picture: Scott Powick