Anthony Albanese sends in the ADF to help clean-up flood-ravaged northern NSW

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is preparing to make his way to NSW’s flood-ravaged mid-north coast communities on Tuesday as Australian Defence Force personnel arrive to kick start the long road to recovery, following a week of catastrophic weather.

Following a briefing at the National Situation Room in Canberra on Monday morning, Mr Albanese announced 70 ADF personnel would be dispatched to aid recovery and clean-up efforts.

Mr Albanese will also head north to survey the damage.

“We will continue to monitor what is necessary, and we will ensure that the Government does have your back if you’re in these affected communities,” he said.

About 10,000 properties were hit by floods in the Hunter and mid-north coast regions of NSW after a month’s worth of rain fell in a matter of days.

As flood waters begin to recede, about 500 buildings have been declared uninhabitable.

That number is expected to rise this week as specialist teams continue to assess the damage.

About 12,000 residents across multiple towns were still stranded as of early Monday, and crews have carried out more than 770 rescues amid the flood crisis that has led to five deaths.

Mr Albanese said the cost of the floods would be “substantial”.

“What we don’t do is go through with a calculator. What we do is say, ‘if it’s needed, we will support you’. Simple as that,” he said.

ADF personnel are expected to be on the ground in the flood zone from Tuesday morning, coinciding with Mr Albanese’s visit.

Mr Albanese said the ADF would assist with the physical and emotional recovery.

“An event such as this has a physical impact, clearly on people, but it also has a mental health aspect,” he said.

“And from my experience, the presence of ADF personnel on the ground brings enormous confidence to communities that are really doing it tough.

“It’s a sign of how seriously we, as a nation, are taking what is a catastrophic event.”

Defence Minister Richard Marles said the personnel would be tasked with route clearance and broader recovery and clean-up efforts.

“They will have some light engineering capability… We stand ready to do more, in terms of more people, if in fact that request comes through and there is a potential for that going forward over the next few days,” he said.

Mid Coast Council Mayor Claire Pontin welcomed the PM’s visit to Taree on Tuesday.

“This is really great for the community, because these people (politicians) need to understand the pain that people are in, the damage that’s been done, and to see it firsthand, is a great opportunity for them,” she said.

“We’ve had the ministers coming through over the weekend … and we had a really great opportunity to brief them on all our issues, and we pressed for more support on the ground.

Mayor Pontin said the region was desperate for help and ready for the ADF’s arrival.

“We’re not sure when they’re arriving, but we’re expecting them over the next couple of days, and they’re going to be deployed out on the streets helping get that garbage out of your way, into the tips, and we’re also working really, really hard to co-ordinate that,” she said.

“Everything’s been organised so we can get that done as soon as we’ve got the personnel to help us with that.”

Mayor Pontin said she had also spoken with Recovery Minister Janelle Saffin about the community’s “housing crisis” with the minister promising to deliver some “mobile homes”.

NSW Nationals MP Tanya Thompson said people in her Myall Lakes constituency needed urgent help.

“We have just come back from Wingham and that’s like nothing I have ever seen before,” she said.

“We need some crews here. We need them here fast. Big crews, big support.

“There is mud up to our knees in Wingham.

“We need all levels of government to come in and really wrap around us and support us quickly. We cannot wait.”

Since Sunday night, Essential Energy has restored power to 280 homes but about 940 homes and businesses remain without power.

Insurers have now received more than 3500 claims following severe flooding across the Mid North Coast, Hunter and Greater Sydney regions.

About 60 schools remain closed across the impacted regions, as well as 173 early childhood education and care services and seven TAFE NSW campuses.

From Monday afternoon, those who have lost income will be able to apply via myGov for support equivalent to JobSeeker.

Primary producers are also eligible for freight subsidies to help transport livestock and fodder.

“I said during the election period once or twice, no one left behind,” Mr Albanese said.

“This is what it looks like: Australians looking after each other, particularly the most vulnerable, at what is a really difficult period.”