New South Wales News

New NSW reconstruction corporation to help flood-hit communities

Eliza Sayon Apr 19, 2022

2 min read

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has announced a new reconstruction corporation that will cut red tape and help flood-hit communities in northern NSW rebuild with a focus on resilience.

Community input and local knowledge have become crucial in guiding a new state government corporation that was established to rebuild the NSW Northern Rivers region following months of devastating floods.

The Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation is expected to work with local councils to rebuild transport and communications infrastructure, as well as push the economic recovery and provide jobs in the region.

The NSW Premier announced the new body in Lismore, saying it would reduce the bureaucracy that had delayed recovery efforts, as well as prepare for inevitable future floods.

“We can’t go through such a substantive event and do things the way we’ve done things in the past,” he said.

“Areas of government can operate in silos and not in coordination.”

Regional NSW deputy secretary of commercial and corporate services David Witherdin will lead the new corporation.

“In terms of our success it’s going to be working with communities here … it’s absolutely about having solutions that are fit for purpose at that local level,” Mr Witherdin said.

The flood recovery effort was progressing in the Northern Rivers but there was still a long way to go, Mr Perrottet said.

The new body was an acknowledgement of a challenging two months for the Northern Rivers.

“There has been a lot of pain and suffering for many people,” the premier said.

“We’ve had people lose their lives. Many people have had their homes destroyed, and businesses lost. It has been a very difficult time.”

The new corporation, which will officially form on July 1, will recognise the need for communities to adapt to future events.

The new corporation is complementary to Resilience NSW and the work of Northern Rivers recovery coordinator Mal Lanyon, with a focus on the medium and long term response.

Mr Perrottet said he did not want to see “bloated bureaucracy”.

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has been calling for a single government body to lead the rebuilding effort.

The announcement demonstrated the magnitude of the disaster, which was different to previous floods in the region.

At least 10 people died during the floods across the Northern Rivers and western Sydney.

Lismore was hit with repeated flooding as relentless rain drenched the region throughout February and March.

Some 2000 temporary modular homes that can accommodate up to four people will be delivered to flood-affected areas, the government announced on Sunday.

The first modular homes are due to be installed at Wollongbar, west of Ballina, but installing them will take about a month.

Other temporary housing options include motorhomes, accommodation at recreation camps, and 16 weeks’ rental support.

With AAP

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.