We live in a region that is used to floods, but everyone knew this was different.
I was there. With a team of 80 beautiful volunteers over the first week we prepared and delivered 3,000 meals over five days throughout Kyogle, Casino, Coraki, Woodburn and Lismore.
The priority was people of lower socio-economic status; people who might be doing it tough in normal times – let alone in a crisis.
This disaster bought out the best in many people. It also proved confronting for some people who, for perhaps the first time in their lives, were confronted by the casual racism that is widespread in Australia.
Over time some of these people came to see things differently, to understand issues are not always clear cut. They changed their mind and became advocates.
“Go home and talk about this around your dinner table,” I said, “It’s time to break this cycle.”