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NEWS Northern Rivers NSW - Recovery
By Hollie Mariconte
Two months after severe flooding ravaged the towns of Northern Rivers NSW, people are still living in tents, cars, garages and emergency housing. This is the harsh reality of what people are going through and will continue to endure for many months. Perhaps for many years to come!
If you’d never been to these towns before and had to drive through them now, you’d probably say: “What floods?” The rubble has been cleared, the houses have been washed down, and some businesses are opening up, however if you look at it more closely, you would realise that the houses are empty, the interiors have been stripped back to framing, there are practically no people and the towns have lost their hustle and bustle. It’s a very sad situation to see when you know what these towns looked like before. I’ve talked to people to better understand how they feel right now, and many are worried about where they’re going to be next week. Some residents who owned their homes returned to them, regardless of the state in which they remained. They pitched tents in their yards or camped inside their empty, damp homes. With nowhere else to go, this is really their only option.
Some people who were tenants received only a three-week stay in emergency housing. If the rental crisis before the floods wasn’t severe enough, it is now. There are simply not enough housing options, and the possibilities that arise are far from an affordable price range, with some rentals charging $750 - $1,000 per week!
Pensioners who spent their entire life savings on campers and caravans lost in the floods, have nowhere to go from here. They have literally lost everything they own and depend on a fortnightly pension to survive. How are these people supposed to afford rent in this current economy?
Grants and charitable organisations have distributed funds to the people who qualified. Some people used the money to purchase used
cars to travel from A to B. Just to give a perspective, these towns are 30 to 40kms away from the next, and unlike our capital cities, public transport is not an option.
Jo Smith, a resident of Woodburn NSW, lost her rental accommodation in the floods and is currently in emergency housing with her family. Jo budgeted part of the grant money and put it towards a used 4WD. Unfortunately, this car is unreliable and has already broken down too many times. With an 8-monthold baby on board, she has already been stranded, needing a tow truck and walking kilometres to the nearest town. Unfortunately, tow trucks cannot transport children.
This is only one obstacle among others for the family, as they struggle to separate themselves from their children from previous marriages. As a result, Jo, her partner and the baby are forced to move further West to find affordable housing, leaving behind their other children with whom they share custody. It’s a huge sacrifice to make, yet their choices are few and far between. Jo said: “We’re just kind of trying to stay as resilient as possible, but realising that resilience only lasts for so long.”
Jo was paying $450 a week for rent in Woodburn, and finding something in this price range just won’t happen now. She works as a cleaner for AIR BNB in the Northern Rivers, and it is assumed that one third of Evans Heads consists of AIR BNB accommodations, many of which are available; unfortunately, there are no affordable long-term rentals. Jo believes that the communities are no longer as they used to be. “Those houses are empty right now while people are sleeping on the sides of riverbanks in tents, families with children staying in the area, so their children can still go to the local school.”
This disaster is far from over, and without affordable housing and support, these residents of the Northern Rivers are literally homeless. This is not the best position to be in, particularly with rising interest rates and the cost of living. They must not be forgotten, they need our support, and no matter what situations arise in the world, we must first look after Australia and all Australians!
Image Credit: Hollie Mariconte, Jo Smith
