The Northern Rivers Times Edition 121

$800 million for buybacks and renovations

A real chance to ‘build back better’ in Ballina, Byron, and Tweed

By MARGARET DEKKER

Friday’s joint announcement of the Voluntary Home Buy Backs scheme gives thousands of Northern Rivers most-vulnerable property owners a chance to raise, repair, retrofit or have their house/land bought back with hundreds of millions of dollars of help now on offer. Justine Elliot MP Federal Member for Richmond told The Northern Rivers Times the Resilient Homes Fund marks a vital stage in the recovery and healing process for locals, as owners can now start to move forward with practical options for their floodravaged property. “Given the extent of damage and trauma experienced, this shows everyone is working together to get the best outcomes, and to best prepare for the future,” Justine Elliot MP said. Local leaders estimate up to 2000 properties will be bought back; 2000 homes will be raised; and 2000 retrofitted under the scheme. BALLINA

Cr Ballina Sharon Mayor Cadwallader,

Mayor Ballina Shire told The Northern Rivers Times it’s very pleasing to finally see the Buy Back scheme here but cautioned a long, unknown journey still awaits. “This is a good day for our region but it’s only the beginning of the journey, there’s still a long road ahead and part of that journey is the release of the CSIRO report and its recommendations,” Cr Sharon Cadwallader, Mayor Ballina Shire said. Central to the CSIRO’s Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative is identifying big flood risk factors in the region and finding mitigation options that work. Its report is due in December. “That will clearly define what will and won’t work regarding essential flood mitigation work. We really need to build back better, we can’t keep making the same mistakes, it just won’t work,” Cr Sharon Cadwallader, Mayor Ballina Shire said. She believes most affected Ballina residents will apply to have their house raised.

“2,000 to start with, it’s

almost a pilot-scheme to test how it will work. I think it’s a tremendous start and really want to thank the State and Federal governments for sticking to their word that we’re not going to do things as we’ve always done, but this time better,” Cr Sharon Cadwallader, Mayor Ballina Shire said. BYRON Cr Michael Lyon, Mayor Byron Shire

Byron Shire Mayor Lyon

also welcomed Friday’s announcement of the Northern Rivers Voluntary Home Buy Back scheme. “It’s been the work of the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation over the last few months that’s got through the nuts and bolts of what’s needed. I’m glad to see the full extent of the program now,” he said. Mayor Lyon expected those ‘worst affected’ will benefit first from the scheme with further funding “closer to $1.5 billion in total” and likely skilled-worker stimulus packages still to come. He said wait-times for trades in the Byron Shire, are already blown out to “the end of next year, at the earliest,” Mayor Lyon said. “We know that when we’re talking about buying back homes to

then build a new one, you have to find the new land and a builder to build it. Even land release will take time, this is a long-term project. Building capacity is going to be the key element,” Cr Michael Lyon, Mayor Byron Shire told The Northern Rivers Times. Cr Lyon believes the greatest take-up of the scheme will come from owners

in Mullumbimby, Billinudgel, Ocean Shores, and South Golden Beach. “And by far away the largest number of applications will be for house-raising and retrofitting. The take-up of the Buyback option will be nothing like Lismore’s,” Cr Michael Lyon, Mayor Byron Shire said, as he feared the onset of price gouging in the future, for specialist building trades. TWEED Cr Chris Cherry, Mayor Tweed Shire didn’t expect such a personal reaction when the Buy Back scheme was confirmed on Friday morning. “It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for, a program that will make huge difference to people’s lives. It actually made me a bit teary when they made

the announcement, people now have a chance for a new beginning,” Cr Chris Cherry, Tweed Shire Mayor said. Mayor Cherry foresaw a “pretty even split” between Tweed property owners raising their home .. or applying for a buy back. “A lot of people are over it and are pretty ready to get out. One hundred million of the eight hundred-milliondollar package will be dedicated to bringing the land-buying option forward which is a positive thing. “I see buy-backs being sought in a smattering of quite a few different places .. South Murwillumbah, Bray Park, Mooball, parts of Burringbar and Condong while I expect there to be more applications for house raising in Tumbulgum and Chinderah,” “I think it will be a real mix,” Cr Chris Cherry, Mayor Tweed Shire said State and Local

Tweed Mayor Cherry

authorities are still working to identify and source parcels of land in more than 20 sites across the Shire. Mayor Cherry fears a possible exodus of families draining from the community when buy-backs of properties commence. “We don’t want twenty

families leaving their little village,” Mayor Cherry said. Cr Chris Cherry moved to assure residents starting the application and assessment process, that she expects it will be fair. “From what I’ve seen and been told, it’ll be a really fair process. It’s about who needs it most, removing and helping those most at risk first. People will be offered what they really need, absolutely.” “The renewed anxiety everyone’s going through with the heavy rain .. for people to know a solution is coming – it’s not that long a wait now – people will be getting offers into the new year and that’s a comfort,” Cr Chris Cherry, Mayor Tweed Shire said. Steve Krieg, Mayor

Lismore City Council was contacted for comment. For detailed information about the program, including guidelines, eligibility, and co-contributions, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/ NRRC

Buybacks, home raising, retro-fitting home program now open

By SAMANTHA ELLEY

The announcement last week of the Northern Rivers Resilient Homes Fund package was welcome news to flood affected home owners, eight months to the day since the devastating February and March floods. The package was announced in a joint statement between Federal and State governments where around 2,000 homeowners in flood-prone areas of the Northern Rivers of New South Wales will now be eligible to raise, repair, retrofit or have their home voluntarily bought back, as part of their new $800 million program. Eligible residents will include home-owners, either owner-occupiers or landlords, of a residence in the seven Northern Rivers LGAs that was directly damaged by flood waters or landslips in

the February and March 2022 floods. The LGAs include Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, and Tweed. The voluntary buyback scheme will be offered to Northern Rivers residents located in the most vulnerable areas where major flooding would pose a catastrophic risk to life. The Northern Rivers Resilient Homes Fund package will also provide financial assistance of up to $100,000 for house raising or up to $50,000 for retrofitting for homeowners in areas where flood risk can be reduced by better building standards. The New South Wales Government will provide $100 million to acquire land and open up new flood safe locations for future development, in partnership with the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation. The

Corporation is currently conducting an expression of interest process to identify suitable parcels of land. Eligible homeowners will be offered one of the three available measures, based on expert property assessments: flood impact severity data, safety risks, and potential future flood levels. “We know that disasters are expected to become more frequent, and more severe due to climate change, and that’s why we’re working with the NSW Government to develop practical solutions to protect lives and livelihoods,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. We know this repeated, relentless flooding can be emotionally and financially draining and we want communities to know we will be there to support them now, and as they recover.” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet

said the Resilient Homes Program would help Northern Rivers’ residents take further steps on the road towards recovery while also boosting community resilience in the long-term. “I saw first-hand the devastation extreme flooding caused across the Northern Rivers and I hope this program provides relief for so many residents who have suffered for too long,” Mr Perrottet said. “We are stepping up to provide options for residents to move out of harm’s way and protect themselves and their families but we cannot continue to build back as we have in the past.” “We will work with the Northern Rivers community to ensure repairs, retrofitting and voluntary buy-backs are undertaken in a way that will better protect people and their homes from future flood events.” The Flood Property Assessment Program

provides a first point of entry, with registered homeowners automatically considered for the Resilient Homes Program. Other homeowners can register their interest in the Resilient Homes Program by filling in the online registration form at https://www.nsw.gov.au/ regional-nsw/northernrivers-reconstructioncorporation/ resilient-homes-fund/ resilient-homes-program The NSW Government will contact eligible homeowners from mid- November onwards. To register interest in being part of the Resilient Land Program go to https:// www.nsw.gov.au/ regional-nsw/northernrivers-reconstructioncorporation/ resilient-homes-fund/ resilient-land-program For detailed information about the program, including guidelines, eligibility, and co-contributions, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/

NRRC

Summary form

• Eligible homeowners whose houses were damaged/ destroyed in the February/March 2022 floods will be able to apply to raise, retrofit or voluntarily have their house bought back via the $800 million Resilient Homes Fund.

• Landholders who own two hectares or more of adjoining developable land in the Northern Rivers are invited to provide an expression of interest to potentially supply a range of housing options in the region.

• Retrofitting includes placing electrical wiring higher, installing circuit breakers between levels, replacing timber with concrete, and building solid walls instead of hollow cavities.

Most resilience funding should head north says MP

By TIM HOWARD

The Clarence Valley is unlikely to be a major recipient of an $800 million government package to help flood affected people on the Northern Rivers recover from flood damage to their homes. Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis, whose electorate takes in Lismore as well as the Clarence Valley, said the bulk of funds in the Resilient Homes Program, which provides funding for government to buy back homes, raise homes and repair homes would be triaged to the most flood affected regions. But he said it might be some time before work was done in the Clarence, due to the number of trades people who were working out of the area and shortages of some building materials. Last week the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, was in Lismore to announce the program. He reveal about 2000 home owners in in the Lismore, Ballina, Byron, Tweed, Kyogle, Richmond Valley and

Clarence Valley shires will be eligible for the scheme. He said home owners with properties directly damaged either by floodwater or subsequent landslips would be considered. Eligibility was be based on expert property assessments, flood impact severity data, safety risks and potential future flood level. Mr Albanese said the scheme was expected to be funded and delivered in phases over the next five years, with $700 million shared equally between the state and federal governments. The remaining $100 million was for the state government’s land acquisition program, which would involve buying land in floodsafe locations for future development. The program offers three options for home owners: buybacks, house-raising and retrofitting homes. Mr Gulaptis agreed with the prime minister that the bulk of the money, $520 million, would go towards voluntary buybacks for people living in the most

Volunteers help strip the interior of a flood damaged house near Ulmarra in the aftermath of the February/March floods.

vulnerable areas where major flooding would pose a catastrophic risk to life. He said with the possibility of a few exceptions around the Lower Clarence, this would be around the Lismore area, where the most catastrophic flooding occurred. “The funding will be delivered on a case-bycase basis,” he said. “But it’s likely most of the most severe damage occurred in particular areas.” The Northern Rivers Reconstruction

Corporation said home owners would receive a payment for the purchase of their house and land. The exact location of these areas were yet to be revealed, with buyback zones expected to be discussed at community meetings to be held from Friday. Corporation chief executive David Witherden said people would be free to take their payout money and move to wherever they chose. Mr Gulaptis said

Clarence residents would be more likely to take advantage of $100,000 funding for house raising or $50,000 for retrofitting homes to make them flood resistant. Eligible residents would be able to apply for up to $100,000 each to raise their homes by elevating liveable areas to a property-specific flood level. Mr Witherden said the funding would be for homes in areas where there was less flood risk. He said the location and the design of the

house would come into play, depending on how easy it would be to elevate. Mr Witherden said the option of retrofitting was for houses in areas less susceptible to severe flooding. “We start with those most at risk with the potential for a buyback, then as the risk reduces the opportunities are there for house raising,” he said. “And then, you know, as you sort of work further out, then it’s around resilient rebuilding.” People seeking to access the program should go to https:// www.nsw.gov.au/ regional-nsw/northernrivers-reconstructioncorporation/ resilient-homes-fund/ resilient-homes-program to find more details. Further information will be available at public information sessions, to be held across all seven Northern Rivers local government areas from Friday.

Economic-Environmental Recovery Plan an imperative

By JANELLE SAFFIN MP STATE MEMBER FOR LISMORE

EIGHT months on from the catastrophic flood of February 28 2022, I have written to NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to take stock of where the Northern Rivers region, and in particular the Electorate of Lismore that I represent, stands in regard to our flood recovery. I welcomed the Premier’s joint announcement made with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week on an $800-million Resilient Homes Fund package for the Northern Rivers that I strongly advocated for since early days. I have let the community know that it is a start, not the end, and will take considerable time. It is importantly the first in New South Wales as we embark on the transformational adaptation that is required to live with wild weather and climate change. The form to express your interest in the Resilient Homes Fund can be found at https:// www.nsw.gov.au/.../ res.../resilient-homesprogram... Now that this package is being put in place, it is imperative that a comprehensive Economic- Environmental Recovery Plan be rolled out for the Northern Rivers. I am thankful for the range of flood recovery assistance grants that are

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and our local politicians listening to Brian Burgin’s story

available to impacted residents and businesses, some of which we have never had like the one for commercial and residential landlords and the Resilient Homes Fund. An Economic- Environment Recovery Plan needs to be shaped through the lens of what has happened here; that is we were hit by an event that was akin to an inland tsunami, leaving in its wake a humanitarian disaster on a scale not seen since Darwin’s Cyclone Tracy in 1974. We need economic and environmental plans for all seven local councils and Tenterfield Shire (Lismore Electorate) reviewed with detailed consideration given to transformational adaptation. In Australia, there has been adaptation but to date it has been incremental which is why an Economic- Environmental

Recovery Plan becomes more imperative with our rebuild, and in some instances, our staged retreat, which cannot simply mean abandonment.

The Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) is doing some good work in this space. They are building capacity and

have a good leader in Chief Executive David Witherdin yet they need to be let off the leash, so to speak. The advent of the Resilient Homes Fund

Brian Burgin’s home

will facilitate this somewhat. I say let the NRRC get on with the job it is designed to do rather than needing Ministerial approval

before they sneeze. The NRRC’s Advisory Board needs to be chaired by a local person of standing rather than an Acting Secretary of the

Department of Regional NSW, otherwise it is a bureaucratic board, not our board. The Advisory Board should also be out and

about having community conversations. The NRRC I know does do this too, as they are meeting so many people but they also need space to work. It’s quite bizarre that none of the Advisory Board’s members permanently resides in Lismore, the epicentre of February’s disaster, or in Murwillumbah, Woodburn, etc., that also got smashed. I acknowledge that tens of millions have gone towards the rollout of temporary housing or pod villages – also a first for NSW – but it’s a process I described in Parliament as clunky, slow and not done in collaboration with community, and lacking any creativity whatsoever. I have had representations and conversations with Mayors, Councillors and others who say the pod village idea needs a complete rethink. It needs to be done in close collaboration with all community leaders, notably Councils. I know land is problematic but it requires more than here is Crown Land, here is Council land aka sporting fields and that is where the pods go. Also some of the places where people are now housed require better care. I shall continue to advocate to secure the changes and developments we need.