The CSIRO report on flood mitigation in the Richmond River was released in June to enthusiastic proclamations from Lismore business leaders. ‘We must act without delay!’ they urged. ‘The science has spoken!’

In July 2022 Engineers Australia held a risk seminar at Southern Cross University. It wasn’t long after the floods so naturally the floods came up in panel discussions. An audience member suggested we needed large basins to capture the water to reduce flooding in Lismore. Not one of the engineers on the panel wanted to discuss this because they thought the idea wasn’t worth discussing.

With temporary housing villages (pods) closing at the end of this year, community group House You has called on the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) for assurances that those living in them will not become homeless.

Richmond Riverkeeper says it welcomes the data behind CSIRO's new model for the Richmond River catchment, accepting that even the most ambitious set of measures modelled would not stop towns in the catchment from flooding, while warning that the health of the river itself is still missing from the conversation.

Dr Luke Robinson reflects on the recent community consultation session in Lismore, 'Science in the Club: nature-based solutions for flood resilience'.

Once again, our Northern Rivers communities have been let down by a less than transparent ‘consultation’ process.

CSIRO's hydrology expert Dr Jai Vaze has belatedly responded to The Echo's questions following strong criticism of the hard engineering-based flood mitigation options presented to the public recently.

Public comments may have closed on the CSIRO's fifteen proposed mitigation measures to protect Lismore, Ballina, Kyogle and Casino from the worst of future flood emergencies, but criticism of the process has only become more strident.

Thousands of Northern Rivers youth and at least 75 schools are expected to benefit from a $10 million-dollar federal government grant aimed at strengthening community resilience.