Northern Rivers Community Leaders Forum – 16 June 2024 Meeting Summary
The Community Leaders Forum is where the elected MPs and Mayors of the Northern Rivers region advocate on recovery issues for the communities and people they represent to enhance program delivery.
Welcome and apologies
The Chair, The Hon Janelle Saffin MP, Member for Lismore, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Recovery, and Minister for the North Coast, opened the meeting. The Chair noted apologies for the meeting had been received from Mal Lanyon - CEO NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA), Cllr Sarah Ndiaye - Mayor Byron Shire Council, Mark Arnold - General Manager Byron Shire Council, Jeff Provest MP - Member for Tweed, Jane Laverty - Regional Director, Business NSW.
Review of actions
Meeting attendees reviewed the actions from the previous meeting and confirmed next steps.
Coastal Erosion Funding – Members enquired about availability of funding to address coastal erosion following Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The Chair confirmed emergency coastal erosion works were not covered under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and she will be meeting with government representatives to discuss other potential funding opportunities. Councils having a Coastal Management Plan was important to identify actions to take.
Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative Model Update
Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO provided an update on the Northern Rivers Resilient Initiative (NRRI).
It was noted that first phase of NRRI was completed in 2022 and included the report for Rapid Prioritisation for Flood Resilience. This informed the $150m Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP).
The second phase is currently underway and is focussed on developing and implementing a catchment scale hydrodynamic model for the Richmond River Catchment, to reproduce the past flooding history and to investigate catchment scale flood model scenarios. The model will be completed by June 2025 and scenario analysis by June 2026. Following the release of the model, CSIRO will be undertaking stakeholder and community consultation in the region.
Further information is available on the NEMA Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative website.
CSIRO thanked the councils who have provided input and data to the development of the model.
Future Land Use
Executive Director Reconstruction, NSW Reconstruction Authority provided an update on work underway on the future use of land that has been purchased as part of the Resilient Homes Program.
RA has been engaging with Councils to determine the best outcomes for buyback land. Outcomes will be achieved through working with councils and local communities to decide the best land use, ownership, management and sustainable approach for the land.
RA responded that decisions around future land use would be done in collaboration with councils and involve engagement with local communities and stakeholders.
Tropical Cyclone Alfred Recovery Update
Executive Director Regional Delivery, NSW Reconstruction Authority provided an update on Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred Recovery activity.
- Sub-committees have either finalised or in the last stages of finalising recovery actions.
- Essential Public Asset Restoration (EPAR) works are currently being assessed and lodged.
- Guidelines for councils for up to $1million in funding for Clean-Up and Emergency works have been signed off and council claims can now be submitted.
- RA shared that an additional $5m in funding to clear drainage on private land following East Coast severe weather and ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, has been announced. Noting that funding will cover all of the impacted LGAs and not solely Northern Rivers.
- Work is underway with councils to gather data on impacts to small business.
- Yarning circles supported by Cllr Dianne Randall have been undertaken and have identified further preparedness actions based on learnings for ex TC Alfred.
Closing
Meeting closed at 12.00 pm. The Chair thanked everyone for their active participation.