Mullumbimby flood survivors call for additional relief payments in the wake of federal funding snub

A flood-weary resident believes Scott Morrison will be in trouble come election time as a sense of anger runs through towns denied additional disaster funding.

Mullumbimby resident Jay Lennon, 73, arrived in the town 12 months ago with all his valuables packed into his four-wheel-drive to settle down for good.

Roughly two weeks ago he watched on in horror as those hopes and dreams were washed away in raging floodwaters, alongside many sentimental and personal belongings.

All he managed to salvage as the deluge inundated his home was a push bike that is in need of desperate repair and only a few items of clothing. 

Yet he is one of thousands of residents across the Byron, Tweed, Ballina and Kyogle Shires denied additional financial aid by the federal government, after his trauma was deemed less severe compared to those living in nearby flood-battered areas. 

Jay Lennon, 73, is left with few possessions after floodwaters swept through his Mullumbimby home. Picture: Kaitlyn Smith

“I went to bed about 7.30pm the night the floods hit thinking it was fine,” he said.

“At 10.30pm there was clatter outside as everyone starts putting things up.”

He said all the warnings said low-tide was expected so he didn’t think it would be necessary.

“At 2.30am my flatmate woke me up and alerted to me the water coming in the garage,” he said.

“In an hour and a half, it went from toe-deep to calf-deep.”

Water quickly consumed the ground level of his home, forcing Mr Lennon and his six housemates to flee upstairs where they remained for a week – cramped and in shock – without any telecommunication services. 

“The water just kept going until at least four feet above the floor,” he said.

“Just high enough to wash everything off my office desk.”

Boat crews head out into Mullumbimby flood water.

He said his four-wheel-drive was flooded up to the windscreen.

“It’s not like it hasn’t got wet before but the electronics were gone,” he said.

“Same with two other people in my house.”

His home has for now been deemed unlivable and will require around-the-clock work to ensure the group can eventually return home. 

“I’m resigned to the job that lies ahead now, but there was a period of shock where we just ran around in circles not knowing which way was up,” he said. 

He said additional disaster relief payments would help ease the burdens his small township now faced. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday visited northern NSW to announce the additional payments would be delivered in two more instalments of $1000 to flood-impacted residents in Lismore, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley.

A boat travels through Mullumbimby flood water.

Mr Lennon said people could start over again if given additional relief payments.

“It could help with emergency accommodation, for me, it could help me get another car,” he said. 

“The federal government should hide their head in shame. They can spend $10 billion on a stupid submarine that we don’t need and not one more penny on a disaster relief that people actually need.”

He said he didn’t feel abandoned because he had never felt a sense of connection to the government.

“Now when we have these disasters that lack of connection really shows,” he said.

Flood water inundates Mullumbimby.

“When you need them, where are they? They are ready to help you when it’s election time but after that where do they go?”

Mr Lennon will now relocate to Brisbane for a month while he tries to figure out what his future looks like.

A National Recovery and Resilience Agency spokeswoman said excluded shires could soon be eligible for payments as damage assessments continued across the Northern Rivers.

“We are actively considering further impact data as we have it to hand to determine whether we need to extend that support for the three local government areas to others,” the spokeswoman said.

“This includes impact and other data from Treasury, from insurers, from local government and state government, and the Australian Climate Service.”

She defended Mr Morrison’s decision to name only Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley and Lismore residents as eligible, saying the three areas were identified as being most impacted.

She said a number of factors were considered including the proportion of the population estimated to be in the flood area, the extent of the flood area, the percentage of the population who have sought assistance through the Disaster Recovery Payment and the number of residential homes that have been rated as moderately or severely damaged, or destroyed.

“We are also working with the NSW and Queensland governments to identify what additional support may be required,” she said.

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Originally published as Mullumbimby flood survivors call for additional relief payments in the wake of federal funding snub