There are times for politics and there are times for united leadership.
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The people of Maitland elected Jenny Aitchison to be their voice at a state level. When the government closed Ms Aitchison out, they closed their ears to our voice.
Maitland and Dungog were declared disaster zones by the NSW government after a super storm and flood last month that caused widespread damage across the Hunter and claimed the lives of several people.
It should have been a time when leaders across all political strata, whatever their stripe, worked together to keep the community informed and help co-ordinate the disaster response.
Instead Hunter MPs, most of whom are in opposition, appear to have been left in the dark in the days after the storm.
Premier Mike Baird boarded a helicopter on April 23, two days after the brunt of the storm, and flew to the Hunter to remind residents of Maitland and Dungog that the government had their back.
But Ms Aitchison says she had to contact the Premier’s office for an invitation to the press conference Mr Baird held at Metford that day.
She received a text message from his office two hours before the conference telling her when and where he would be making a statement.
Members of the media had been told earlier that morning.
Ms Aitchison also says she tried to be included in the multi-agency meetings that were held to co-ordinate a response to the disaster, but was turned away.
The government would not deny any of these claims when the Mercury asked for comment.
Politics should have been put aside, even temporarily, so disaster-stricken communities had the comfort of united leadership.