The Morrison Government is again failing the Hawkesbury with its refusal to extend its additional flood funding to the region. 

“We’re in our third flood in a month, and yet the supports that are gifted to other areas are not made available by the Morrison Government to the Hawkesbury,” Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman has said. 

“I congratulate the NSW Government for including the Hawkesbury in its grants of $20,000 for flood-affected households, but it is shameful that Scott Morrison refuses to be part of that funding. 

“The sooner residents are able to get back into their homes, the better it is for them, their neighbours and the local economy.” 

But Ms Templeman said the Hawkesbury is also excluded from the grants available to small businesses in other parts of the country that experienced floods, where they have suffered a significant drop in business. 

“If someone in Wilberforce has had a drop in their turnover as a result of a natural disaster, they shouldn’t be treated any differently to someone in another part of the state or the country,” Ms Templeman said. 

“It smacks of colour-coded spreadsheets for choosing winners and losers, which is what we’ve seen from the Morrison Government time and time again. Decisions that are made on the basis of politics, not fairness. 

“No matter where an Australian lives, if they have suffered a similar loss of property or income in a natural disaster, they should be treated the same. 

“I call on Scott Morrison to give desperate Hawkesbury households affected by flooding what they deserve.”  

Ms Templeman said the other vitally urgent issue was the way federal funding for fixing flooded roads was being held up by a bureaucratic process.  

“I am appalled by the delays in agreed disaster funding making its way from the federal coffers through the state and to councils, but I have seen the same issues in the wake of bushfires, storms and floods,” Ms Templeman said. 

“It’s clear that there is not enough urgency in the process, or we wouldn’t today be watching places like Cornwallis flood as they never ever have previously, simply because repairs from the 2021 floods weren’t made.  

“A failure to act with urgency has led to much worse consequences for everyone, including landowners and drivers.  

“People who are right now losing tires and risking accidents