Motor homes for flood-affected Lismore residents empty while more temporary housing yet to arrive

The measures were announced as part of a temporary housing package last week, but three weeks on from the flood, thousands of locals are still living in evacuation centres due to the lacklustre speed of official support.

More than 3,600 homes across the NSW northern rivers have been deemed uninhabitable due to floods by State Emergency Services assessors, and the premier, Dominic Perrottet, has said recovery could take years.

The package included several measures designed to provide accommodation for residents facing months without permanent housing, including a $10m initiative to deliver 120 motor homes, to be split between Casino, Lismore and Ballina.

On Wednesday, 40 motor homes arrived at the Lismore Centra Tourist Park. However, as of Thursday afternoon, when Guardian Australia visited the park, the mobile homes were sitting empty.

A source familiar with the rollout of the mobile homes said flood-affected residents had been unable to check into the mobile homes because linen and a water source for the homes had yet to be organised. It was expected people would be able to move in from Friday.

Most of the mobile homes seen in Lismore were modestly sized, featuring a kitchenette and dining area that converted into a bed, and did not appear to be able to accommodate more than two people.

It is understood that 40 mobile homes destined for Ballina will not arrive until next week, but the first 40 have been delivered to Casino and it is understood almost all are now occupied.

However, a NSW government spokesman said the pods had not yet been procured.

Labor has been calling for a parliamentary inquiry into the flood response.

Neither the office of Perrottet nor that of the NSW flood recovery minister, Steph Cooke, was able to provide details of how many pods the government was sourcing and when they would be delivered.

Simon Robinson, who is unable to live in his South Lismore home due to flood damage, said he had heard of the government announcement about mobile homes but had not been able to find out how to be considered for one. He believes it could be months before he can return to living in his house.