Mid North Coast small businesses say flood aid snub is like a “slap in the face”

Small Mid North Coast business owners have expressed their dismay at being denied the extra flood aid that will only to farmers with many at risk of closing. Here’s the latest.

The Big Oyster in Port Macquarie on the Hastings River during May 2025 floods, with Big Oyster owner Craig Smith

Flood-stricken Mid North Coast small business owners say they have been left stranded by the announcement by the NSW government and federal government’s that increased disaster aid will only go to primary producers.

Even those businesses who have successfully managed to get $25,000 in flood relief payments, which has increased to $75,000 for farmers, say that they have been made to feel like they are trying to “scam” the government by pleading for desperately needed help.

Craig Smith and his partner Jemah Moss have run iconic seafood restaurant The Big Oyster since buying the business, which has sat on the Hastings River since 1963, last August.

Mr Smith said being cut out of a potential extra $50,000 in flood relief was “a huge slap in the face for struggling small businesses like ours and the many others impacted by the floods”.

“To now get this bad news really makes small business operators reconsider whether it is all worth it,” he said.

The Big Oyster owner Craig Smith.

“It is hard enough to go through the myriad of paper work to apply for a Category C grant as well as being treated like you are trying to scam the government for funding, when all we are doing is trying to get back on our feet to serve our local customers and to make a living.”

Ms Moss said $75,000 would only just cover equipment and stock lost in the May flood without doing anything to replenish lost earnings since.

The Big Oyster “lost everything” during the floods.

“We have aerial photos where all you can see is our roof, we are an island in the middle of the river,” she said.

“Yet despite us submitting our photos for the $25,000 the person from Service NSW treated Craig as if he was scamming.

“We were hauled over the coals to achieve the first $5000 and then we have to reapply for the $20,000 to show how it will be spent.

“Without the guarantee of any funding how are we meant to reinvest? We lost everything.”

Ms Moss explained one piece of equipment destroyed by the flood cost around $20,000 to replace.

The inside of the premises after the floods.

“We had to borrow to get into the business in the first place, we are not in the position to borrow money, you can’t when you haven’t had 12 months worth of financials,” she said.

“We got back in business as quickly as we could in a small capacity but our figures have been quite substantially hit so we can’t even get money back into the bank account.

“We have literally had to prop up the business with personal funds that have been gifted to us by family members.”

Since the flood neither Ms Smith or Ms Moss have derived any income from the business and have been forced to stand down staff.

“Craig has been doing everything as well as us volunteering our time,” Ms Smith said.

“He applied for the 13-week through Centrelink and he is getting $600 a fortnight.”

Ms Moss said flailing businesses widely affect the local economy.

“We sell fresh seafood from local places, the local co-op, local fishermen, so if we can’t get that out there where to from here?”

Port Macquarie Liberal MP Robert Dwyer said many businesses were in danger of failing.

“Whilst I very much welcome the additional funding for primary producers across the Port

Macquarie electorate and beyond, it makes no sense that businesses have been left out in the

Cold,” he said.

“I have met with many businesses owners along Hastings River Drive, Settlement Point and

some businesses in the CBD and they have been devastated not only by the floods but now by

the lack support by these two levels of Government.”

Ms Moss said that businesses have few options to protect themselves from flood.

“The first thing people say is ‘oh, you should have got insurance’ and we are like ‘it’s not that easy’,” she said.

“We simply cannot get insurance that’s not an option.

“We love what we do but we pay substantial taxes and they are quite happy to take our taxes.

“Give us the opportunity to be able to rebuild rather than having to poach money from other places, family members and people like that.”