‘Where have you been in the last week?’ question levelled at PM
Plucked from the roof of his home to escape the floods last week, Eugowra plasterer today wanted to know what had taken Anthony Albanese so long: ‘People need you here’.
NSW
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been confronted by one of Eugowra’s frustrated locals in his first visit to the flood-devastated town, after being questioned “where have you been the last week?”
Eugowra plasterer Anthony Robinson was one of more than a hundred locals who were plucked from the roofs of their homes when disaster struck last Monday.
When the Prime Minister and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet visited on Tuesday, he was quick to ask where Australia’s leader had been before then.
“Not to get off on the wrong foot … but all through the election one of your slogans was (you weren’t) here to hold a hose,” he said, catching the Prime Minister out the front of the town post office which has just reopened for business.
“We’re have you been sir? … Where have you been the last week? … People need you here sir.”
The Prime Minister responded that he had been overseas representing Australia at international summits.
“I’ve come straight away. I’m here. I’ve been in touch with Dom, we’ve have had the deputy prime minister (here), the ADF was here first day,” he responded.
Mr Robinson, echoing the thoughts of many in the destroyed town of 700, added: “I’m not trying to have a go at you …(but) it’s not the help now, it’s the help in the next six to 12 months I’m most worried about”. He shook hands with both leaders.
‘HAD A GUTFUL’
It comes as the Premier revealed he had also met again with local man Peter Jones, who last week told Mr Perrottet that residents had been “left to their own devices” and he had “had a gutful”.
“Obviously last week (he was) upset, why wouldn’t he be? It’s been a very horrendous time,” Mr Perrottet said on Tuesday shortly after meeting with Mr Jones, a former policeman, a second time.
Mr Jones told The Telegraph following his second meeting with the Premier that the NSW leader asked him “how I was going (and) whether I needed anything”.
He said he didn’t hold a grudge against the government and that the response had improved in the days following his comments.
“Everything’s going good. We’ve got more stuff here than you can poke a stick at,” he said.
“I don’t hold grudges. I just said what I had to say to help the town. This little town was devastated.”
Mr Perrottet and Mr Albanese announced $50,000 grants for businesses in local government areas impacted by floods.
The pair vowed the first instalment of the payment – $25,000 – would be made available to businesses within days of application. The second payment would require auditing.
“This is the Commonwealth (and) state working jointly together and that’s what people want to see,” Mr Albanese said.
“(It’s) a town that’s been devastated and we’ve seen that today. But it’s a town that’s resilient. It’s a town where people want to rebuild this town and community. And it’s quite inspirational seeing the courage and resilience of people in this fantastic local community.”
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