March 2021 floods: Port Macquarie-Hastings Council provides relief measures for flood-affected community members

The measures got the unanimous tick of approval at an extraordinary meeting of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council on Wednesday (March 24).

The relief measures include specific provisions for rates and charges.

There will be a focus on working with affected businesses and individuals on a case-by-case basis, while making the process as easy and accessible as possible.

Cr Geoff Hawkins said the natural disaster was one in 100 year event.

He spoke about the dramatic and life-changing impact on people and businesses.

Deputy mayor Lisa Intemann, who supported the council's actions to assist flood-affected residents, attested to the enormous effort of staff in terms of immediate actions since Friday evening and the mayor in terms of responding to the media.

She recognised and applauded the "amazing mutual support" extended by community members.

Cr Intemann urged everyone to do their bit.

"You will all know someone who needs support and assistance," she said.

"Please reach your hand out to help them."

The council's CEO will urgently contact Lyne MP Dr David Gillespie and Cowper MP Pat Conaghan to request immediate deployment of Australian Defence Force personnel to specific areas of concern within our region to assist with the clean-up and recovery.

It comes after Mr Conaghan confirmed the ADF will send crews to the Mid-North Coast.

Mayor Peta Pinson said the ADF request stemmed from what she saw today (Wednesday).

"We are going to have a significant health crisis on our hands if we can't get the spoiled goods under control very quickly," she said.

Many homes and businesses were without power as a result of the floods. Some still remain without electricity.

"This is a monumental clean-up," Cr Pinson said.

"This is not a matter of just sending things to the tip."

People's possessions were wet and beginning to become moudly, she said, there would be mosquitoes as well, and health issues from the possibility of raw sewage in areas of trapped water.

"If the ADF are already in our region on the ground, I would ask our CEO to please get them to the areas where our most vulnerable are, because some people don't even have the means to move their own furniture out," Cr Pinson said.

The community has been faced with drought, bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cr Hawkins said that tested any society, any community.

"We are blessed we have such a community that is happy to work together, stick together, it's very resilient but at the end of the day all of that wears almost anybody down," he said.

Cr Hawkins said they would have to go to extraordinary lengths to help our community and help our community to help themselves.

The council noted contact had been made with BlazeAid regarding their possible assistance especially in terms of repairing fences destroyed by this disaster.

The CEO will also consider contacting the chairs of the sub-working groups from the COVID-19 Recovery Working Group for their assistance in a community-led recovery.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

Bookmark our website

Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters

You can support us with a subscription

Follow us on Twitter: @portmacnews

Follow us on Instagram: @portmacnews

Follow us on Google News