Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery this morning by NSW Premier Chris Minns.
‘Janelle Saffin experienced the devastation of a natural disaster when unprecedented floods hit the Northern Rivers in early 2022. The Member for Lismore has remained a fierce advocate for her community’s recovery since the beginning and will have an even stronger voice – for the Northern Rivers and communities across NSW in this role,’ stated a press release form Minns’ office.
‘I’m honoured to take on the important role of Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery,’ said Ms Saffin.
‘I’ve seen first-hand the devastation that natural disasters such as floods can cause communities such as my local Northern Rivers community.
‘I’ve also experienced first-hand the vital role that a well-coordinated response and recovery, throughout the short-term and long-term stages of disaster recovery can play and the need for continuous improvement in preparedness.
‘The better prepared, the better response, the better recovery.’
Premier Minns said, ‘I am thrilled that the Member for Lismore, Janelle Saffin has accepted the important role of Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery. Janelle is a tireless advocate for her community and, having personally faced a devastating natural disaster and its aftermath, I can think of no-one better for this role.’
According to the press release, ‘This announcement represents another stage in the new Government’s reset of the Northern Rivers disaster recovery response. Premier Minns met with local mayors and MPs from the Northern Rivers in June to directly listen to their concerns.
‘The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, and the Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib, visited the region together last month to further hear community feedback and to see first-hand how reconstruction programs are progressing and what more needed to be done.
‘The NSW Reconstruction Authority will continue under its current arrangements reporting to the Minister for Planning and the Minister for Emergency Services, now supported by the new Parliamentary Secretary.’
Premier Minns announced NSW Reconstruction Authority chief executive officer Simon Draper PSM as the new Secretary of the Premier’s Department. The hope is that Mr Draper’s experience ‘will bolster the Premier’s Department’s whole-of-government disaster response coordination role and the department’s focus on supporting frontline agencies to deliver for communities’.
‘I am honoured to be appointed to this role leading the 430,000 outstanding public servants who work hard each day for the people of NSW,’ said Mr Draper.
‘I have done many things in my career – I saw the best of what can be achieved when the public service came together during COVID and again in our work in the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
‘I look forward to supporting the Premier and his priorities and driving effort from the heart of government to improve the lives of the NSW community.’
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