Can the public have confidence that federal flood recovery and resilience programs will actually deliver, given the state government’s botched roll-out of flood assistance via the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC)?
A funding announcement by the federal Labor government was made on Friday, spruiking ‘millions more invested in Northern Rivers flood resilience’ for the $150 million Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program.
Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, was in Coraki last Friday to make the announcement of tranche 2, yet tranche 1 is yet to be completed, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) website.
There are just three small projects listed for Byron Shire across both tranches, considerably fewer projects than on surrounding flood-affected shires.
They are: ‘SGB Flood Pump Generator to provide protection from power failures’ (tranche 1); and from tranche 2, ‘Investigate Options for South Golden Beach Flood Gate Upgrades; Upgrade Coogera Circuit Detention, Preferred Byron Drainage Strategy Construction’.
The Echo asked the NEMA, who administrate the programs with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSRIO), whether any of the tranche 1 projects have been completed for Byron Shire.
A NEMA spokesperson replied, ‘A significant amount of work has been completed over the last few months to finalise funding agreements and due diligence works for more than 30 tranche 1 and 2 projects’.
‘Successful project applicants have now received letters from the NSW government allowing them to begin works across the region in accordance with the implementation plan agreed by the NSW government and local councils.
‘Work has begun on the Dairy Flat road raising project [Richmond Valley Council] and works for a range of other projects will be starting imminently. The Australian government continues to work closely with the NSW and local governments to ensure the implementation of these projects moves as quickly as possible’.
Transparency?
According to the NEMA’s website, the ‘CSIRO worked with local councils, community groups and other key stakeholders in the region to identify existing project proposals for improving the region’s flood resilience’.
‘CSIRO and [consultancy firm] Alluvium ranked these projects according to specific criteria and scientific analysis and provided a report to the NEMA detailing prioritised projects’.
The Echo asked the NEMA ‘what government body is responsible for the oversight for this funding and program?
A NEMA spokesperson replied, ‘While the Australian government, through the NEMA, is responsible for providing the funding and guidelines for this program, the NSW government, through the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation [NRRC], is responsible for its administration’.
As previously reported, the NRRC lacks transparency owing to its corporate status.
The Echo also asked the NEMA, ‘Was there any independent assessment of the projects that were chosen by CSIRO and Alluvium?
They replied, ‘Under Phase 1 of the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative, the CSIRO worked with local councils, community groups and other key stakeholders in the region to identify existing project proposals for improving the region’s flood resilience’.
‘The projects put forward by CSIRO under Phase 1 of the Northern Rivers Resilience Initiative were existing project proposals put forward by local and state governments and the community, as part of the CSIRO’s consultation process with the seven local government areas (LGAs).
‘CSIRO used a robust assessment process to confirm each project’s eligibility, then ranked them against a Multi Criteria Analysis (MCA) using the following indicators: flood risk mitigation; flood resilience; environmental impact; social-cultural impact; economic outcomes and project feasibility.
‘Given the robust consultation process undertaken by CSIRO including the MCA, it was determined that additional assessment of the identified projects was not required.
When asked ‘Are there any timelines for the completion of these projects?’, the NEMA spokesperson replied, ‘As the NSW government is responsible for the administration of these projects, they, along with the local councils delivering the projects, will be best placed to answer’.
Not effective flood mitigation: Nats
Meanwhile, federal MP for Page, Kevin Hogan (Nationals), said, ‘The community would feel exceptionally disappointed by projects announced by the federal government, as they contain no effective flood mitigation works’.
‘These are all flood resilience projects,’ he said.
‘They are not flood mitigation projects, which is what this funding was intended for.
‘Spending on flood mitigation means the level of water would be lower in future flood events. None of the projects announced will do that. I’m greatly disappointed that this is such a lost opportunity for our community,’ Mr Hogan said.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
