Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese tours flood-hit Northern Rivers

Devastated residents overlooked for additional emergency payments say they are being treated like “second-class flood victims” as they try to salvage the remnants of their former lives.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says there is “no reason” four flood-battered Northern River shires should be overlooked for additional relief payments by the federal government.

The Federal Labor leader took aim at Prime Minister Scott Morrison while speaking in Murwillumbah on Friday.

He toured the homes of devastated residents who would not be receiving any extra dollars under the extended disaster response scheme.

Mr Albanese, who toured Lismore, Ballina and Murwillumbah in recent days, said all Northern Rivers towns had been equally devastated in the natural disaster.

He called for the federal government to extend its additional emergency flood relief package to include Byron, Tweed, Ballina and Kyogle shires.

“There is no reason whatsoever why that shouldn’t also apply here in the Tweed, and why it shouldn’t also apply in Ballina and in Byron,” he said.

“When you go into the southern outskirts of Murwillumbah here, what you see is every single house has been impacted, all the cars left on the road that have been ruined.”

Among the scenes of devastation was the home of South Murwillumbah couple Brett and Leanne Bugg, who are now rebuilding their lives for the second time in five years.

Mr Bugg said almost all their possessions had “floated down the river”.

“It took probably two years for this town to get back up and running again,” he said.

“This one is worse.”

The group tour the home of Murwillumbah couple Brett and Leanne Bugg. Picture: Dan Peled

He said Murwillumbah were not second class flood victims.

“We are the same as the other flood victims in other regions,” he said.

“Everyone needs the support here as much as they need it anywhere else.”

The longtime resident said he would welcome a visit from the Prime Minister – if he was up to it.

“There’s 1000 people in this region, not people, there’s 1000 families in this region that don’t have anywhere to sleep tonight,” he said.

“That’s not right.

“That’s our Hurricane Katrina moment.

“This is the Super Bowl for us.

“Don’t let it be like that. Just help.”

Mr Albanese said a rapid response was required when asked what could be done to better support the overlooked townships.

Anthony Albanese (centre) talks to Murwillumbah residents Brett and Leanne Bugg. Picture: Dan Peled/Getty Images

“We need to respond in the immediate sense to help people get back on their feet and to not be seen to be leaving them behind, which is what these communities have told us they feel,” he said.

Mr Albanese stopped short of throwing his support behind a proposal from The Greens’ to expand the cyclone relief scheme to include flooding.

“I don’t think that now is really the time to be coming forward with precise solutions,” he said.

“I think we still got to do a lot of listening to the community.”

Anthony Albanese and Murwillumbah resident Brett Bugg. Picture: Dan Peled

A spokeswoman for the National Recovery and Resilience Agency said the organisation was working with the NSW state government to identify what additional support was required throughout 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,” she said.

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