Community Leaders Forum Meeting Summary – 15 April 2024
The RA hosts a regular Community Leaders Forum of local MPs and Mayors to help guide future decisions about recovery and reconstruction and ensure discussions are informed by community needs and driven by local community leaders.
Summaries of the meetings are being shared to provide the local community with information about the ongoing recovery program in the Northern Rivers. These summaries reflect the views of community leaders and are not to be considered as NSW Government policy.
Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin chaired the meeting and opened with an introduction and welcome to Mal Lanyon. Mal Lanyon has commenced as Acting CEO for the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA), and it was noted that he is no stranger to the Northern Rivers, given his role as the Northern NSW Recovery Coordinator in 2022.
During the meeting, key updates were provided – followed by discussion and agreed actions.
Resilient Lands Program
The Mount Pleasant Estate, Goonellabah site was announced as part of the program last month. This site will demonstrate a range of different housing types including relocated homes. RA undertook door knocking with neighbouring residents, and a local community event for local residents is being planned for May. A guide to support relocation of homes is also being developed. The Chair noted this was a regional program and would include sites at other locations.
Recovery Profile update
The draft profile had been provided to Community Leaders Forum (CLF) members for feedback.
Essential Public Asset Restoration (EPAR) and Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) funding
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) provided a presentation about transport reconstruction projects across the region.
Recent progress was noted including:
- Tripartite Agreement to support cashflow certainty
- Claims prioritisation to accelerate works
- Regular engagement with local councils
- Commencement of betterment projects.
Mitigation of ongoing risks is underway through reviews of funding arrangements and increased capacity to manage claims. Practical support is being provided through training modules and sessions.
The Chair welcomed TfNSW’s work at state and regional level and noted that it was an interactive interagency process.
Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program (NRRRP) update
NRRRP is a $150 million program funded by the Australian Government with 36 projects. These projects are progressing with 50% of the projects in pre-construction, many in delivery and a road assessment of the Junction Hill/Summerland Way (Clarence Electorate and LGA) has been completed.
As projects move into construction, there will be more physical works taking place across the region.
Living Lab visit
RA noted that a meeting had been organised for CLF members to attend the Living Lab for an overview of the key programs that the Living Lab are delivering and for a tour of the current ‘Bring It On Home’ exhibition. The Chair requested and it was agreed that the meeting would be able to be joined online.
Resilient Homes Program - Outreach approach
Home Buyback offers are continuing to progress and some Home Assessments have been undertaken with JDA Co. for homeowners in the Home Raising and Retrofit streams.
The RA has been working with the Business Commission NSW and SafeWork NSW to ensure protections for consumers undertaking home raise and retrofit works are in place.
Local Industry Briefings will be taking place across the region from 30 April 2024.
The RA confirmed that collaboration with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority is continuing, and the Chair suggested that this take place across other programs as well.
Regional Master Plan update
The draft scope for the Regional Master Plan has been distributed to CLF members for feedback by 20 April 2024. Briefings have been held with Lismore City Council and Tweed Shire Council, and further briefings with remaining councils are being scheduled to occur before the end of April.
A Regional Master Plan workshop will be scheduled with CLF members in late May, the RA are seeking to engage CSIRO to deliver the Regional Master Plan work, in collaboration with other agencies as agreed to by the CLF.
Concluding comments
The Chair noted that the CLF Members raised several issues during the meeting about the agenda items and other items issues raised by community members. The Chair also noted that communication remains an issue but has started to change, and that public information in recovery needs to be regular and repeated.