Meeting summary
Review of actions
Progress on actions was noted.
Temporary Housing Program Update
The approach to licence fees, lease extensions and potential incentives for residents was discussed. Vacancies in open villages will be allocated to people for relocation from closing temporary housing sites. RA confirmed it is working closely with Homes NSW and that the social housing register is the main pathway for housing needs in the region.
Future of Pods
RA advised work was underway with Homes NSW on a feasibility assessment on how to repurpose pods. RA is also in discussion with the NSW Department of Planning on possible planning pathways.
Wollongbar Temporary Housing Village
RA thanked Ballina Shire Council for the six-month extension at Wollongbar temporary housing village. This extension will provide residents with more time to engage support services and have transition plans in place to be ready to leave the village by March 2025. The village decommission will occur following resident’s transition to alternative accommodation. Members emphasised the importance of issuing communications to Wollongbar residents. Concern was raised that some people living in the village could be left without proper accommodation. The Chair asked to check with Community Housing Providers to ensure residents they support have an exit strategy and will report back at the next meeting.
Discussion
Members suggested that talks with Department of Planning, regarding future use of pods, be expanded to create new types of planning pathways, that could also be replicated elsewhere e.g. tiny homes. The Chair suggested this could be a topic Northern Rivers Joint Organisation (NRJO) could also advocate for.
Disaster preparedness
RA confirmed the NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW State Emergency Service will be invited to the next meeting to provide a seasonal update to CLF members. The most recent Bureau of Meteorology briefing for RA executive indicated a neutral weather pattern which does not indicate overly wet or dry conditions. The seasonal outlook released on 1 October 2024 will be shared with CLF members.
Regional Vision and Masterplan
Members requested that RA not progress further work to support the Northern Rivers Regional Vision and Masterplan at this time, as tabled at the 16 August 2024 NRJO meeting. It was noted that CSIRO Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative (NRRI) will be engaged to lead the Northern Rivers Regional Vision and Masterplan.
Reconstruction Update
The Water and Waste Program broader program update confirmed each project was progressing well. It was noted that the Lismore sewage treatment plant was a complex project.
Tranche 2 of the Drainage Reset Program had been approved to commence, and it was noted that the Tranche 1 program was well received.
The update on the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program confirmed that construction was commencing on Tatham bridges and the Byron wetlands drainage program was progressing well.
RA confirmed that approximately 250 responses at a combined value of $16 million, were received for the recent Caring for our Catchments Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The EOI opened on 16 May 2024 and closed 1 July 2024, and aimed to identify community groups and locations for delivery of 240 hectares of riparian revegetation across Northern Rivers catchments. EOI respondents included: private landholders, councils, environmental organisations, not for profit organisations, First Nations organisations, and government agencies, schools, and educational institutions.
Members asked for more information on projects based in each LGA. RA commented that work was progressing with Transport for NSW to address backlog of EPARs.
Lismore Insurance Study Update
The ‘Insurance Status Review and Recommendations for Lismore’ was discussed including the importance of the report’s recommendations for the region. The Chair noted that without insurance there will be significant problems for economic recovery. Noting that discussions with the Louisiana Reconstruction Authority identified that lack of insurance was their biggest problem.
The Chair confirmed she had addressed the House of Representatives, Inquiry into insurers’ response to 2022 into major flood claims’ and lodged a submission on 14 August 2024 on behalf of the CLF. The Chair confirmed her office would issue a statement confirming the CLF had made a submission to the Federal inquiry.
RA proposed to run a workshop with CLF members and UQ Professor Paula Jarzabkowski on the ‘Insurance Status Review and Recommendations for Lismore’ and discuss direct actions that could be applied across the region.
Resilient Homes Program and Resilient Lands Program
RA provided a program update and noted that the Large Lots and Landslide policies for the Resilient Homes Program have been published. RA will be working to progress outreach to impacted homeowners.
Closing
The Chair confirmed the next meeting is scheduled for 16 September 2024 and invited council General Managers to attend in place of Mayors if they are not confirmed post council elections. A decision will be made if an additional meeting is needed.