New South Wales Health have apologised for sending Eugowra flood victims bills for helicopter rescues.
The invoices will be waived, but outrage remains and local leaders say they should never have been sent out.
Eugowra’s federal MP, Andrew Gee, called it “insensitive cruelty”.
Kevin Beatty, the mayor of Cabonne Council, said some Eugowra residents brought it to the attention of the council staff.
“$1,000 bills were sent out which has added to their anxiety and problems that they are already facing,” Beatty said.
More than 150 Eugowra residents needed to be rescued by helicopter after being stranded amid what was described as an inland tsunami.
About four people received these bills, which were not for the helicopter rescues themselves, but medical services provided as part of rescues, including instances of transfer to hospital after rescues.
Graham Arnoll told the ABC he received an invoice for $1,150 for the flight to Orange Base hospital where he received treatment for hypothermia after spending more than six hours neck-deep in flood waters.
One of the bills was also sent to a six-week-old baby.
Gee said the bills were “simply outrageous”.
“Our communities condemn this in the strongest possible terms.”
While residents in the region were still waiting to receive the $20,000 Back Home grants, “the NSW government seems focused on cost recovery from the rescues”, Gee said.
“And don’t get me wrong, NSW Ambulance did an outstanding job both in the air and on the ground in Eugowra and other parts of our region and we are all very grateful. This is certainly not on those who worked so hard during the disaster,” Gee said.
“The NSW government needs to make a very clear statement that this insensitive cruelty will be stopped immediately.”
Paul Toole, the deputy premier and state member for Bathurst, said in a statement later on Wednesday the NSW Ambulance billing process was automated but that he would be seeking changes.
“I have discussed this with NSW Health and changes will be made to the billing system to ensure these circumstances do not happen again,” Toole said.
It comes as the flood crisis in the eastern states continue, with flooding in Mildura expected to peak Thursday, and a prolonged peak possible through to late December.
The Murray River is expected to peak at a maximum height of 38.4m at Mildura either late Thursday night or Friday.
At Euston, the Murray could remain above the moderate flood level until late December, only falling below the minor flood level around mid-January.
At Ranfurly Way, the State Emergency Service will begin work on Friday to reinforce the railway line levee to manage water inputs to Lake Hawthorn. Water is currently impacting farmland in the area.
David Tucek, incident controller at Victoria SES, said: “We are continuing to prepare for Murray River flood peak to ensure critical infrastructure is protected and maintained, including key traffic routes to remain open.
“This includes monitoring levee conditions and acting if required to maintain integrity. Our focus in the next 24 hours is to manage Lake Hawthorn, to maintain stormwater capacity for the Mildura area.”
He commended the community for carrying out an “enormous amount of work” sandbagging around levee banks and critical assets.
