The NSW government’s efforts to assist homeowners affected by the 2022 floods are facing criticism, with just one homeowner receiving a grant to boost their house more than two years after the disaster. The government has also spent less than half of the recovery funding it committed to the region, with a reported $700m shortfall in the resilient homes program.
Locals are expressing frustration and anxiety as they struggle to rebuild and recover from the devastating floods. Chels Hood Withey, a Main Arm resident and community advocate, describes the situation as “terrible”, with thousands of homes still in need of assistance. “The travesty of this program is it never lived up to what they promised,” she said.
The resilient homes program, announced by the former Coalition government, aimed to raise or flood-proof homes, or purchase them from homeowners. However, the process has been marred by delays, confusion, and seemingly arbitrary decisions. Eligible homeowners have been assessed based on historical flood mapping, rather than the 2022 floods.
Mullumbimby resident Nikki Malone, who was rejected for a house raise due to her home being deemed 30cm too high, describes the application process as a “lottery”. “Every time it rains, which is a lot here in Mullumbimby, the anxiety is through the roof,” she said.
The Northern Rivers Flood Victims Are Struggling to Stay Above WaterA man who lives on the same street as Malone, who has applied for a house raise, received verbal confirmation six weeks ago but is yet to receive any written confirmation. “It’s such an arbitrary thing,” he said. “They buy back one person and lift somebody else but don’t lift the nextdoor neighbour.”
The government’s slow progress is not only frustrating but also causing financial and emotional distress for affected families. Wally McGregor, who had to wait on his roof with his partner and young children when their home flooded, described the lack of support as “heartbreaking”. “We just waited and waited – it must have been over a year – to hear anything,” he said.
The NSW emergency services minister, Jihad Dib, revealed that the government had spent about $325m from the resilient homes program by the end of January, with only one homeowner receiving a grant to lift their house. The government’s handling of the program has been plagued by inconsistencies, with a discrepancy in the number of applications received and accepted.
As the state continues to deal with heavy rainfall and damage, the northern rivers locals are renewing their calls for the government to fully fund the resilient homes program and provide adequate assistance. In the meantime, affected families are left to struggle, unsure of when or if they will receive the help they so desperately need.