Neighbours star running for state parliament after Lismore floods

The former Neighbours star said the government’s “cataclysmic failure” on the floods prompted her surprise career change.

Madeleine West has flagged her intentions to run for state parliament at the 2023 NSW elections after being fed up with absent politicians.

The actor, activist, author, podcaster and mum of six wants to bring awareness to the floods which have ravaged her region in NSW having helped out and seen first hand the devastation.

“(I want to) bring awareness to the cataclysmic failure of those at the top to deploy an adequate, timely response capable of ensuring the safety, lives and livelihoods of the very people who put them there,’’ West said.

“My region needs a strong voice on the parliamentary floor. Australia needs a guarantee this will never happen again. We’ve talked about it enough and now is the time for action. I’ve spent years agitating for change and now I want to be the change.”

West, who lives near Byron Bay, has been volunteering in the clean up and rescue efforts in Northern NSW.

Actor Madeleine West pictured in Keen St Lismore on 4 March after helping businesses clean up. Picture: Toby Zerna

Actor Madeleine West helps the recovery efforts. Picture: Toby Zerna

“These crises can happen at any time and it seems this response has not fulfilled what we expect of our Government,’’ West said.

“That’s where the buck stops. It’s day nine now, it’s been entirely community mobilisations that have helped. We are finally seeing some of our Commonwealth resources kicking in but it’s just taken too long.

“Lismore is so much better now because there’s such a consolidated community effort and I went the first day it was accessible for clean up and I’ve never seen anything like it.

“Everything was contaminated with thick slug and everyone’s home and workplaces were completely disgorged onto the footpath. The mud is black it doesn’t come off and it’s everywhere and it’s in every region.

“There’s no Wi-Fi, limited running water, power off, no phones and supermarkets run bare and that’s in the aftermath of three days of solid rain.”

Lismore CBD and the surrounding areas were the hardest hit. Picture: Toby Zerna

West, who said her home had escaped major flood damage, said she’d hoped in the wake of the bushfire devastation that the response would have been more swift.

“We needed a call to arms from the get go where we knew there was a risk of this disaster happening,’’ she said.

“A co-ordinated response to get the job done. It should concern everyone in Australia that the response has devastated Australia and I don’t know why. It’s going to be a long process, there’s a massive clean up operation to go. The outpouring of immense generosity around Australia is incredible.

“We just need to some logic at play. We are obliged to pay taxes, traffic fines and we all did the right thing during Covid. Let’s see them do the right thing.”

West will be part of the star-studded judging panel at the 11th Peninsula Film Festival running from March 11-13. It opens with an exclusive feature film screening at Peninsula Cinemas Rosebud on Friday.

“Supporting storytellers is so important,’’ West said.

“It’s what brings the community together and has from when we were in caves. It’s an important part of our evolution as human beings.

“It’s absolutely my passion seeing the next generation come through. I’ve always considered myself a storyteller — from acting, to becoming an activist and an author and now my podcast. Who knows where it takes me next but I consider it a great honour to tell people’s stories.”