'Are you embarrassed?' Peter Dutton's strange claim amid flood response criticism

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has likened the current weather crisis in NSW to be more like a cyclone event, amid criticisms about the federal government's delayed response to stranded residents.

Parts of NSW and Queensland have been in crisis for over a week, after torrential downpours resulted in flooding and left residents without vital supplies.

With some already on the ground, thousands more Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are expected to arrive in flood-affected communities in northern NSW and southeast Queensland in the coming days, the federal government says.

Federal defence minister Peter Dutton has rejected claims he should be embarrassed by the response from federal authorities, saying the unprecedented weather event was more like a cyclone than mere flooding.

"I think we need to be realistic about the situation in northern NSW, it's actually not a flood, as [NSW Nationals MP] Kevin Hogan and others have pointed out, this is more a cyclone-type event," he told ABC radio on Tuesday.

"It's not just steady rain for a few days and the rivers have risen and the creeks have swelled, this is a torrent of water, that has, you know, shredded communities apart."

Mr Dutton first made the claim on Sunday, saying the flooding damage was more "akin to a cyclone".

The Bureau of Meteorology says on its website there are no cyclones currently across Australia and the last one to reach Australia was Cyclone Tiffany earlier in January this year.

The Bureau has listed several weather warnings which including flooding, damaging winds and hazardous surf.

• Thousands told to flee as Sydney floods, others warned not to travel

• Distressed dog rescued from floods with head 'just above water'

• Cow that survived being washed away in floods shot dead by police

Mr Dutton told the ABC that federal troops had already rescued more than 100 people with helicopters as part of the initial response.

With some 1800 ADF personnel sent to the Norther Rivers region, the government says there will be as many as 5000 troops deployed across flood-ravaged areas by the end of the week.

Dutton grilled over flood response: 'Are you embarrassed?'

Speaking to Sunrise on Tuesday, Mr Dutton was grilled by host David 'Kochie' Koch over the federal response with the host asking whether he was embarrassed by the fact that so many ordinary Australians were left with very limited or no support in the immediate aftermath of the flooding.

"Are you embarrassed that ordinary Australians are having to do so much work in this? Ordinary Australians are having to get themselves to remote areas in their dinghies, wading through floodwaters, to help people, to take them food and to make sure they are alright."

"No Kochie, I mean that’s the Australian spirit," Mr Dutton responded. "That’s what you and I would do four our neighbours."

"Absolutely,” the Sunrise host continued. “But we want the ADF to do it too."

"I’m not embarrassed … and the ADF is doing it," Mr Dutton said.

"I'm just not going to cop criticism of of the ADF ... They have looked at the situation on the ground, they're responding, they're bringing vehicles in, they rescued 113 people who otherwise would have drowned."

More personnel needed for 'national-scale emergency'

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said 900 ADF troops would be arriving in northern parts of the state on Tuesday.

"We want the clean up to be conducted as quickly as possible, so we can get these communities back on their feet," he told ABC Radio.

ADF troops coming into flood areas will spend the coming days helping to clear roads and fixing telecommunication networks and will use helicopters to drop critical supplies to cut-off communities.

However, opposition disaster and emergency management spokesman Murray Watt said there had been a lack of government support for some of the regions hardest hit.

Senator Watt said more ADF personnel and government assistance was needed.

"Locals are really grateful for the small number of ADF personnel who are here, but we need a massive injection of personnel and support more generally," he said.

"Right now is when we need to see khaki on the ground, this is a national-scale emergency."

with AAP

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.