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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
National
Janine Graham

Chris Hemsworth, Mick Fanning back community chopper effort

Lismore CBD almost a week ago. Photo: Matt Haysom Photography.

Bet the thousands of people hungry, wet and displaced by yet another "unprecedented weather event" woke delighted to learn know the PM had committed to build a $10 billion nuclear submarine base on Australia's east coast.

The "news" of Prime Minister's Morrison's plans was released last night, before he told an audience at the Lowy Institute today that "Australia faces its most difficult and most dangerous security environment in 80 years".

He also declared the invasion of Ukraine to be a major wake-up call for Europe and welcomed the signs of a tougher approach to "autocratic adventurism".

Meanwhile, according to reports elsewhere, Australians were stuck on roofs a full week after floods had ripped their lives asunder. They have no food and no government help.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet apologised to the people of the state's Northern Rivers region after last week's brutal floods.

Many had to be rescued by fellow citizens and have since struggled to access basics such as food, water, power, fuel, phones, ATMs, the internet and medical supplies.

"I'm very sorry ... but we're doing everything that we can," he told the Nine Network from Lismore.

With flood water receding slowing in northern NSW, there are many remote communities still cut off. It has been a locally-led emergency response which has made a difference. More than 20 tonnes of essential goods have so far been delivered by a fleet of privately-owned helicopters - hired thanks to a crowdfunding campaign and funds from celebs Mick Fanning, Chris Hemsworth and the Essential Energy state-owned corporation, among others.

Around 2000 of the 3500 homes assessed so far in the Northern Rivers are no longer habitable, a number expected to rise, increasing the need for short-term and medium-to-long-term accommodation.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Morrison said a further support package for flood victims, on top of previous financial help, is on its way.

As many as 2000 Australian Defence Force personnel had been deployed to flood-affected areas, and that, the PM said, will increase to 5000 in coming days.

The federal government has already supplied a $558.5 million support package to parts of Queensland to help recover from the floods, while a similar package delivered more than $434 million to NSW. Also, nearly $200 million in disaster recovery funds have been distributed to thousands of flood victims across NSW and Queensland so far - but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

And with a severe weather warning stretching the best part of 1000km, the threat is not over yet. The warnings extend to "every community and town in between and extending well inland towards the Blue Mountains, Central Tablelands, Southern Highlands and possibly Canberra", one weather guru explained.

State Emergency Commissioner Carlene York was adamant: "If it is not safe to go home please do not go home." Presuming, you have a home still standing, of course.

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