In the aftermath of the February/March 2022 floods, which was a Government declared disaster across the Northern Rivers, the NSW government committed to providing assistance for 6,000 homes under the Resilient Homes Program in the form of a retrofit, house raise or buyback. Impacted members of our community were told explicitly by NRRC CEO David Witherdin that effectively “if your home has been flooded, you will receive support”.

It is now almost two years since the devastating flood event of 2022, and disappointingly few applicants to the Resilient Homes Program have received any form of financial support. 

Thousands of families have acted in good faith on the basis that financial support would be imminent, including many families that spent large sums of money retrofitting or raising their homes believing they would be reimbursed. Many of these families have yet to return to their homes or are experiencing significant financial distress as a result of the delayed rollout of the Resilient Homes Program. 

This situation is a consequence of the Resilient Homes Program being underfunded by $700 million resulting in approximately three-quarters of applicants being told they are “ineligible” for a retrofit, house-raise or buyback. 

We thank the state and federal governments for the $800 million they have already invested in the Resilient Homes Program. But we need the full amount that flood survivors were promised. Thousands of people across our region are still living in homes that are not safe from future floods, and they deserve to know that support is on the way. Almost two years on, and just over half of this promised funding – $800m for the Resilient Homes Program and $100m for the Resilient Lands Program – has been allocated. 

We note that Simon Draper, Chief Executive of the NSW Reconstruction Authority, recently conceded during a NSW Budget Estimates session that the flood recovery process has been inadequate, stating:

“…if we had our time again, we would have thrown much, much more energy into the recovery process and making sure people were living in homes where they had a dignified life.” 

It is unacceptable that thousands of people across our region are still living in homes that are not safe from future floods, or have been unable to return to their homes at all. Applicants to the Resilient Homes Program deserve the financial support they were promised, and they deserve clarity that they will receive that support in an appropriate time frame. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told our community last year that “We know this repeated, relentless flooding can be emotionally and financially draining and we want communities to know we will be there to support them now, and as they recover”. Many in our community believe they have been denied this support by the Resilient Homes Program, which as of September 2023 has only delivered financial support to 11% of applicants. 

We acknowledge that the State and Federal governments have so far allocated $800 million towards the Resilient Homes Program. But until the program is fully funded, thousands of residents across the Northern Rivers are going to be left with an uncertain future.

Furthermore, we extend a heartfelt invitation to you Mr Prime Minister to visit the Northern Rivers region (as the Premier has done previously ), witness the challenges faced by our community firsthand, and engage directly with the individuals and families affected by the floods. Such a visit would not only demonstrate leadership but also foster a deeper understanding of the urgency and gravity of the situation.

We are respectfully calling on state and federal governments to:

1. Jointly provide funding to cover the $700m shortfall for the Resilient Homes Program before the end of 2023.
2. Communicate clear and appropriate timelines for the delivery of 4,000 retrofits and house-raises and 2000 buybacks for homes affected by the 2022 flood event, and
3. Ensure that the NSW Reconstruction Authority operates transparently, communicates sensitively with community members and prioritises community control of disaster recovery going forward.

Sincerely, 

Dale Emerson