Economic recovery

Economic recovery

The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) is working with councils and the private sector to deliver supporting infrastructure for the Northern Rivers region to encourage and increase economic investment into the future.

The economic recovery programs will ensure reconstruction takes place hand in hand with local business development and provides employment and training opportunities for the Northern Rivers community.

The economic recovery programs include:

• Northern Rivers Towns and Villages Resilient Business Activation Program
• Business capacity building and support for reconstruction and disaster preparedness
• Northern Rivers Community Resilience Grants program
• Northern Rivers Economic Adaptation Framework (as part of the Northern Rivers Disaster Adaptation Plan)

Northern Rivers Towns and Villages Resilient Business Activation Program

Expressions of interest for this program have now closed.

This $9.5 million grant program will support the economic recovery of villages and town centres in the Northern Rivers through direct assistance to small and medium sized businesses and local government-led Central Business Districts (CBD) activation and revitalisation projects.

The program is part of our commitment to support long-term recovery, betterment and disaster resilience.

It will be delivered across the seven most impacted Local Government Areas in the Northern Rivers region: Tweed, Ballina, Byron, Lismore, Kyogle, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley.

Aboriginal business and community engagement

RA has a dedicated focus on Aboriginal engagement.  Ensuring Aboriginal business and community organisations are actively engaged for their wisdom and cultural knowledge through the recovery.  Understanding and embedding cultural ways of knowing, being and doing will enable reconstruction and rebuilding efforts to incorporate both the historic and contemporary value of Aboriginal cultural heritage.

RA will work to ensure, where possible, reconstruction and rebuilding efforts are converted into opportunities for local Aboriginal businesses and training for local communities.

In addition, RA are developing a localised Connecting with Country Framework to underpin our work and its principles will be embedded across all engagement, programs and projects.

These programs will work closely with the Infrastructure Coordination Office, Resilient Homes Program and Resilient Lands Program.

Workforce diversity

RA is working with local councils and state government agencies to improve diversity targets and reporting in contracts for reconstruction projects in the Northern Rivers.  

A diverse workforce brings many benefits to businesses, including:

• access to a wide range of talent
• innovation through employee life experiences contributing to fresh ideas
• better performance as valued staff create an environment where employees work harder
• lower staff turnover and increased profits.
• different perspectives that contribute to understanding the needs of a wide customer base.  

A workforce diversity tool has been created to help businesses develop their own diversity targets across groups including Aboriginal people, women, young people, apprentices and learning workers. More information is available in the Workforce Diversity in Construction fact sheet.

This tool provides key contacts, for both contractors and the community, to engage with on training pathways, apprenticeship opportunities and connections to employment.  

For more information please contact futurebuildnr@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au