Rochester RSL sub-branch president Cameron Lovering says his town has plenty of chests ― but no medals to pin to them.

And he cannot understand how the NSW Government formally recognised its flood heroes, yet Victoria has done nothing.

Mr Lovering contrasted the formal national recognition given to northern NSW flood responders with the federal oversight in Victoria, noting that two years after the 2024 Victorian parliamentary inquiry, local emergency volunteers still lacked equivalent honours.

“It seems to be a void. Nothing is happening,” he said.

“Our emergency service personnel and community members weren’t recognised in an official capacity by the government for their stoic efforts and the Anzac spirit they showed.

“I wonder what the threshold for a significant emergency is to be recognised that way?”

The absence of any official recognition is a deep source of frustration for the local sub-branch, which witnessed extraordinary acts of courage at the height of the 2022 floods.

Mr Lovering recalled collecting an off-duty local ambulance officer, David Harris, from his home in a fire truck as the floodwaters rapidly submerged his property.

Despite losing every physical possession he owned, Mr Harris refused to evacuate to safety.

Instead, he spent the remainder of the emergency carrying out life-saving rescues across Rochester — wearing nothing but his board shorts and thongs.

“If David wasn't there, I put my hand on my heart, I believe more people would have died in that flood,” Mr Lovering said.

“Our emergency services people are amazing, and we should be doing more.”

The RSL president argued the lack of formal medals was more than an administrative oversight — it directly impacted the mental health of frontline workers who were left feeling abandoned by higher levels of government.

While military service is commemorated through occasions such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, Mr Lovering said the contribution of those who responded to domestic emergencies deserved greater recognition.

The Rochester Flood Mitigation Group was also drawn into the debate, noting that some emergency participants received acknowledgement while quieter volunteers were overlooked entirely.

“Some individuals received honours after making significant noise, while others missed out simply because they assisted out of moral obligation,” the group said.

The group was clear, however, that pushing for medals and honours was not its role, and it had never formally campaigned on behalf of flood responders.

Asked whether Rochester’s experience revealed broader failures in how governments recognised emergency workers, the group said the problems ran much deeper than one community’s story.

“Numerous gaps exist between major disasters and official government recognition policies,” the group said.

“This represents only a single facet.”

The group also acknowledged that some Rochester residents did receive formal recognition for their efforts during the floods.

“We want more to be done to recognise the stoic efforts of our community members,” Mr Lovering said.

“We need to be a bit better at calling to mind the dedication of our emergency service personnel.”

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Friday, 31st July 2026

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