Member for Calare Andrew Gee has lashed the lack of disaster relief for the Cabonne Shire almost a year on from the devastating 2022 flooding.
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In an often scathing speech aimed at both sides of parliament, the Independent MP described our region's roads as war-zone like and said the "feelings of grief and loss in our communities are palpable" still.
Mr Gee has been a constant across the flood-hit communities of Cabonne since November 14, when shock flooding wiped out much of the shire, particularly in Eugowra.
While a member of the National Party - he dumped the coalition after backing the Voice to Parliament prior to Christmas, 2022 - Mr Gee worked closely with Rapid Relief Team members to get food into the Eugowra showground, feeding those who dropped everything to help those in need.
After volunteers helped the Cabonne shire through the initial stages of the "traumatic and devastating" hours and days post November 14, he says it's time decision makers at both a state and federal government level came to the party and "activate the full suite of disaster assistance to our flood and fire ravaged communities".
"(And so far) it has not been forthcoming. This has been an appalling failure by the major parties," Mr Gee said on the floor in Canberra.
He said the previous Liberal and National government in NSW had the means to activate that additional support when they were in power - they didn't.
Mr Gee said, after the March 25 state election and change of power, the Minns Labor government has also had the chance to provide more assistance to Cabonne - it, too, hasn't done so.
The Calare MP says politicians in Canberra have neglected the area, and made special mention of recent visits to places like Molong and Eugowra by his former party room leader David Littleproud as "way too little, way too late" back in July.
Mr Gee said it's also the responsibility of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to get the ball rolling.
Mr Albanese has visited Eugowra and parts of Cabonne since the disaster. As did former Premier Dom Perrottet. Current NSW Premier Chris Minns is yet to touch down in the shire, however some of his Labor ministers have been to Eugowra, Cudal and Molong.
Mr Gee says change must occur, and called on the implementation of a home buyback and retrofit scheme similar to that in place for areas like Lismore in NSW's north as a great place to start.
"This vital support for our region needs to be rolled out without further unforgiveable delay," Mr Gee said.
"Our residents are being treated as second-class citizens, and this cannot be allowed to stand. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, along came the insurance companies.
"Hundreds of disaster-hit residents and business owners who were eager to pick themselves up and fight on found themselves at the mercy of these companies. From long delays and claims processing to widespread knockbacks, it has taken a massive toll on our region."
He said the same raft of disaster assistance should be afforded to those impacted by bush fires at Hill End at the end of last summer.
As part of the speech, Mr Gee moved the following motion on September 4:
- (1) notes that Australia has endured an unprecedented number of natural disasters in the past two years;
- (2) recognises the immense hardships faced by people across Australia in the aftermath of natural disasters;
- (3) acknowledges that the response to these natural disasters by governments and insurance companies has been, in some cases, grossly inadequate;
- (4) further recognises the invaluable work of organisations that support communities through natural disasters such as our first responders including the Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Lifeline, Rapid Relief Team, Rotary and Lions; and
- (5) calls on:
- (a) Commonwealth and state governments to activate the full suite of disaster assistance and make it available to devastated communities across Australia, including to Central West New South Wales; and
- (b) the Commonwealth Government to pursue equality in disaster relief that ensures no Australian, regardless of their postcode or economic status, is left behind when disaster strikes.
See the speech in full
Ten months ago, the residents of Eugowra, Molong, Canowindra, Cudal, Manildra, Wellington and many places in between had their lives changed forever when unprecedented storms unleashed horrifying amounts of water across our region. Ten months on, and the hurt, pain and sense of loss is just as raw. Six months ago, the lives and livelihoods of residents in the Hill End area were devastated when massive bushfires tore through their homes and farms. Six months on, residents feel forgotten.
The feelings of grief and loss in our communities are palpable. While the support from our fellow residents of the Central West and our fellow Australians around the nation has been extraordinary, unfortunately the same cannot be said about assistance provided by governments. For the storm and fire hit Central West, successive state governments have failed to activate joint state and federal support. I again ask in this House: why does the Northern Rivers area have access to the home buyback and retrofit scheme, but the storm and flood hit areas of the Central West do not?
Why is it that other local government areas have access to the Community Assets Program to help rebuild their towns and villages, but councils in our region do not? Why hasn't a grant program similar to the Northern Rivers Commercial Property Return to Business Support Grant been announced for our storm and flood hit areas? Why is travelling on our bridges and roads still like being in a war zone? The Nyrang Creek Bridge and the road between Wellington and Dunedoo are still closed. How can it be that in 2023 we are closing roads instead of fixing them?
Why are residents in the fire hit Hill End region still excluded from the $75,000 Special Disaster Grants to help them bounce back from those devastating bushfires? Today I ask: why haven't these questions been answered by state or federal government?
Since the disasters struck our region, I have repeatedly called on the state and federal governments to activate the full suite of disaster assistance to our flood and fire ravaged communities. It has not been forthcoming. This has been an appalling failure by the major parties.
It is a failure by the previous Liberal and National parties government in New South Wales to activate this support when they were in power, and it's also a failure on the part of their federal colleagues in the same parties - in particular, the National Party, which almost 12 months on has only just taken an interest in this issue. It's also a failure on the part of the current New South Wales Labor government, which has the means to deliver this assistance.
There is failure too on the part of the current federal government for not sufficiently pressuring their state colleagues about this urgent issue. This vital support for our region needs to be rolled out without further unforgiveable delay. Our residents are being treated as second-class citizens, and this cannot be allowed to stand. Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, along came the insurance companies. Hundreds of disaster-hit residents and business owners who were eager to pick themselves up and fight on found themselves at the mercy of these companies. From long delays and claims processing to widespread knockbacks, it has taken a massive toll on our region.
Change needs to come from this. That's why I called for a parliamentary inquiry into the insurers' response to these natural disasters. To his credit, the Assistant Treasurer visited our region and initiated an inquiry. Thankfully, the community spirit and support has been nothing short of remarkable, and our flood and fire affected residents would not be where they are today if it weren't for the hardworking staff and volunteers at the Rural Fire Service, State Emergency Service, Lifeline, Rapid Relief Team, Rotary, Lions and many others.
In previous speeches, I've thanked many of these community heroes. Today I'd like to particularly acknowledge the tireless volunteers from the rapid relief teams of Molong, Orange, Parkes, Cowra, Condobolin and Lake Cargelligo. These wonderful people include: Matt Sangster, Orange team leader; Malcolm Buckland, Condobolin team leader; and Kelvin Scott, Molong team leader. They also include the mighty Molong crew: Thomas Scott, Stephen Sandeman, Brenton Scott, Stephen Gibbs, Cameron Scott and Sam Pridham, Parkes team leader.
Rapid Relief Team are a fantastic group of volunteers who set up mobile catering for our disaster affected towns and also fed our fireys during the Hill End emergency. On Eugowra's darkest day, I worked closely with the Rapid Relief Team to get food into the showground that night and feed at least 60 tired and exhausted evacuees. Their kindness and dedication throughout the disasters that have hit our region will never be forgotten. I sincerely thank all volunteers and organisations who have helped our region cope with this traumatic and devastating time in our history.
I conclude again by calling on the state and federal governments to activate the full suite of disaster assistance for flood and fire affected residents in the Central West on the double. A failure to do so is not fair, and it's not right. My message to the state and federal governments is to get this assistance moving.
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