More federal disaster payments on way for local areas that missed out

More financial help will be promised to the NSW northern rivers in a federal deal with the state government to add to a sudden extension in $3000 disaster payments after one of Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s political allies accused him of “disgusting” neglect of flood victims.

Federal and state ministers are negotiating a new package to help people recover from the devastation amid growing frustration in the NSW government at the delay in sealing an agreement on how to share the costs.

Piles of flood-ruined belongings line the streets in Ballina, where residents are now eligible for additional disaster payments.Credit: Janie Barrett

NSW ministers want the deal done by Friday after the federal government ended days of claims about political interference in disaster assistance by announcing higher payments to the Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Tweed local government areas.

The move came in a formal decision from the National Recovery and Resilience Agency to add the areas to its earlier advice offering the $3000 payments to the Richmond Valley, Lismore and Clarence Valley LGAs.

The NRRA decision means residents in Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Tweed who qualify for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment will gain two additional weekly payments automatically, with the payments being made from 22 March.

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is worth $1000 per adult and $400 per child. It has gone to many areas in NSW and Queensland as a one-off payment but the three local areas in the Page electorate were singled out last week for extra help with two additional payments.

The outcome on Thursday means seven NSW local government areas now qualify for the two extra payments, with debate still under way on whether the same help should go to Queensland communities.

Labor has attacked the government for more than a week for promising the boosted disaster payment for the three areas in the federal electorate of Page, held by the Nationals, without offering the same to neighbouring communities in the seat of Richmond, held by Labor.

State Coalition MPs from the northern rivers have also slammed the priority given to one federal electorate over another, with Liberal MP Catherine Cusack preparing to quit Parliament in disgust while Nationals MP Geoff Provest declaring his “disgust” with the federal government.

“This is like a remake of the bushfires some two years ago,” Mr Provest told ABC Radio.

“I’m really disgusted with the Prime Minister and his office in the way he has handled all this.”

Mr Provest, whose state seat of Tweed covers Tweed Heads, said he did not accept the “excuses” about the decisions in the bureaucracy about the disaster payments.

“The Prime Minister and the federal government are put in place to look after all Australians, not just the select few,” he said.

“And I think they should hang their head in shame at this point in time. Apparently the federal government is disconnected from the good people of Australia and we’re paying the price for it here.

”If you look in those people’s eyes, day after day, you really feel their pain, and it’s like a stab in their heart, in all honesty, what’s happened. We need to be able to give them all the support, not just words.“

Asked if this would cost Mr Morrison the election, Mr Provest said: “I would struggle to vote for him”.

Ms Cusack revealed on Tuesday the “unethical” distribution of emergency disaster funding had prompted her to resign from the NSW parliament.

“The idea that being a flood victim in a National Party-held seat makes you more worthy than a flood victim who is in the Richmond electorate ... is probably the most unethical approach I have ever seen,” she said.

Ms Cusack has told those close to her that she will not resign her upper house seat until the Liberal Party holds a formal preselection for her replacement. A source close to Ms Cusack said she would not allow the party to parachute a candidate in to replace her.

The NSW government wants an outcome on Friday to finalise negotiations on a $10,000 “back home” grant meant to help homeowners rebuild. Renters would be eligible for a smaller amount. While this is expected to be done, there is growing impatience in NSW over the time being taken to finalise the details.

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean and Resilience NSW commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons had planned to announce a joint funding package on Wednesday, ahead of Premier Dominic Perrottet taking paternity leave, but a planned press conference was cancelled at the last minute. Mr Perrottet is now on leave until April 4.

NSW Treasury officials worked throughout last weekend to try to finalise the package to allow Mr Perrottet to announce it before his seventh child was born on Wednesday.

Emergency Management Minister Bridget McKenzie said the government had agreed to the recommendation to offer the additional disaster payments to residents in the four local government areas.

“As the full scale and impact to these areas in northern NSW is being realised, the Liberal and Nationals government is implementing this extra support as quickly as possible,” Senator McKenzie said in a statement.

“While people in northern NSW aren’t able to work, are still clearing out their homes and businesses, the extra two $1000 payments we’re rolling out to eligible families and individuals will support our communities as they start to rebuild their lives.

“The additional two $1000 payments for adults and $400 for children will automatically apply for AGDRP recipients in the Ballina, Byron, Kyogle and Tweed LGAs, so there is no need for people to re-apply.”

Labor emergency services spokesman Murray Watt said he understood why Lismore was given urgent help because of the devastation in the northern rivers city but he said people in other parts of NSW and in south-east Queensland had also lost everything.

“With Scott Morrison it’s always too little too late,” Senator Watt said.

“It took a week of him being shamed and called out by Coalition MPs in NSW for him to finally act.

“And he still hasn’t extended the extra assistance to Queenslanders who have been impacted by the floods, so Queenslanders are still being treated as second-class citizens.”

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