Prime Minister Scott Morrison has declared the NSW floods disaster a national emergency and offered a second support package worth tens of millions of dollars on a visit to the stricken Northern Rivers region, which Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce warned could be hostile.

The decision to declare the floods a national emergency means more Commonwealth resources will be sent to the area including extra help from Defence for communities.

2GB reporter Clinton Maynard told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings more than 800mm of rain had fell in NSW since the start of the year.

“This has led to this crisis, or as described by the Prime Minister, a ‘catastrophe’,” he said.

Lismore Mayor Steve Kreig, who was born in WA, said more federal assistance was great, but the Army and Defence personnel were not necessarily trained to deal with a flood crisis and their assistance could have been used earlier.

“We’re now in recovery operation in Lismore but at the height of the problem a week that’s probably when they could’ve done with military personnel,” he said.

Tap PLAY below to hear more on the floods crisis.