45 Fijian abattoir workers who had immigrated to the city of Lismore, under the Pacific Labour Scheme last year. The Programme was designed to help citizens of the Pacific archipelago secure a livelihood amid the country’s labour shortage due to the pandemic. On Monday, after hearing that an aged care home in the town was flooded with dozens caught inside, the men leapt into action. “It was just devastating, the entire building was underwater,” Apenisa Marau, a member of the group, said.
In the state of NSW, rain fell in record-breaking numbers, with 775mm of rain in Dunoon, 537mm in Nimbin, and 467mm in Lismore. According to Marau, the conditions of some the aged care residents made their task more challenging, as they found themselves in a “terrifying” situation.
“It was really hard, and quite terrifying trying to get those elderly people out of their homes,” he told 2GB. “Most of them were bedridden, in wheelchairs, some of them were just trying to stay afloat… They were pretty shocked by the time we reached them, but we were glad we were able to get them to safety.” The group’s heroic acts and bravery have prompted calls for them to be granted Australian citizenship. Despite the horrific conditions, the men were back on deck to help out again on Tuesday.
