MINNS LABOR GOVERNMENT LEAVES FLOOD-HIT COMMUNITIES HANGING AS GRANT DEADLINE LOOMS
The Minns Labor Government has continued to leave flood-affected communities in the dark, failing to deliver the level of support small businesses need to recover from the May 2025 floods with the deadline for flood recovery grants just weeks away.
Member for Myall Lakes, Tanya Thompson MP, and Member for Oxley, Michael Kemp MP are calling on the Minns Labor Government to urgently double the Small Business Recovery Grant from $25,000 to $50,000.
Businesses across Myall Lakes and Oxley continue to be burdened with damaged premises, disrupted transport routes, delayed infrastructure repairs, insurance gaps and prolonged reductions in trade.
Mrs Thompson said frustration is growing among business owners who feel early commitments made during visits to flood-affected areas have not been followed through.
“Months on from the floods, our communities are still waiting. We aren’t talking about short-term impacts, they are ongoing, compounding costs that $25,000 simply does not cover,” Mrs Thompson said.“We are hearing the same message everywhere – the support on offer does not match the scale of the damage yet the Government is refusing to listen.
“The Premier was quick to turn up when the floodwaters were high but when it comes to the long, hard work of recovery, regional communities have been left hanging.”
Mr Kemp said the reality on the ground is that many businesses simply cannot fully recover under the current level of support.
“We have businesses that still haven’t been able to reopen, others operating at a fraction of their capacity, and owners who’ve been forced to remortgage their homes just to keep the doors open,” Mr Kemp said.
“There is work to be done and customers ready to come back, but stock is damaged or unusable and the grant on offer doesn’t come close to covering the cost of getting back up and running.”
“When businesses cannot reopen properly or are forced to cut jobs, families feel it, workers feel it and local economies suffer.“The Government knows what effective recovery looks like, they saw it happen following the devastating Lismore floods, yet they have chosen to leave our communities hurting.
“With the grant deadline approaching fast, the Minns Labor Government must deliver the level of support that allows businesses to properly rebuild and employ locals again.”
