Susanna Freymark
The report on the most expensive flood recovery program in Australia is in – and it is damning.
The NSW Auditor-General has investigated the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s $980million Resilient Homes and Resilient Lands programs designed to assist recovery after the 2022 floods in the Northern Rivers.
The audit found that out of the 4382 homes or housing lots that were promised through the programs, zero have been delivered as of March 31 this year.
Zero.
For so many flood impacted residents this will be disheartening.
The Reconstruction Authority chief executive Kate Fitzgerald visited Lismore on Thursday, May 21.
“The audit report has come at a good time,” she said.
“As a new CEO, this helps me understand the history.”
Ms Fitzgerald is the fifth to lead the flood authority that has had name and leadership changes since it began in 2022.
She says she is here to stay and takes full accountability for programs run by the Reconstruction Authority.
For residents, words from the Authority have proven hollow in the four-plus years of flood recovery.
“These programs have been problematic. I hope the community feel they have been heard,” she said.
Ms Fitzgerald admitted the trust between the Authority and the communities it serves was damaged.
In 2023, the flood authority promised 6000 homes would be considered for house-raising, retrofit and buybacks. A year later this was drastically reduced to 2000 with no explanation from the Reconstruction Authority except to say they got the numbers wrong.
“The trust has been broken, I will work hard to (rebuild) it,” she said.
The proof is in the action. Ms Fitzgerald said 2026 is the year “you will see homes delivered.”
Ms Fitzgerald has heard community concerns about Lismore getting the lion’s share of the funding and focus.
“I’m equally committed to deliver programs across the community,” she said.
“I’m meeting with all the councils and I’m always looking to bring an equitable approach for all communities.”
The Authority’s executive director Reconstruction Graham Kennett said the focus was to accelerate the process to get more homes.
Regarding the Summerland Estate at Fairy Hill which has the potential for 1500 homes, he said is was a complex site in terms of what needed to be done.
“There is no infrastructure and the (Richmond Valley) council has identified $37million of infrastructure is required,” Mr Kennett said.
The site needs an extension of sewer and water to be ready for housing.
Mr Kennett posed the question: How much should the council, government and developer pay to avoid market failure?
”The Resilient Lands Program does have enabling infrastructure funding but we need to understand how much,” he said.
”Like is there a staging approach? The (Richmond Valley) council has been good working with us. Rezoning has to get across the ground.”
The Reconstruction Authority helped with the masterplan for the Mayfield Estate in Kyogle, Mr Kennett said.
”There is another development south of Kyogle.”
There is no Resilient Lands Program happening in Coraki or Woodburn.
”We done a range of information sessions connecting builders with homeowners,” he said.
There have been 72 buybacks approved across the Richmond Valley, 216 home assessments and 67 grants approved for resilient measures.
Four years after the worst flood ever seen in the Northern Rivers, what lessons have been learned through the flood recovery?
Depending on who you ask – the government, residents, businesses – the answer varies.
Ms Fitzgerald must keep her word that 2026 is the year homes are delivered. Residents have been though enough and those impacted by that terrible flood want a home and a future they can look forward to.
Watch Tinnie Heroes – a documentary about the 2022 floods.