The Prime Minister of New South Wales has pledged to relocate people from the flood-ravaged North Rivers region, as recommended by an independent report. Dominic Perrottet said during an infrastructure summit today that he would commit to the recommendations of an independent report on the recent flood disaster that affected it. the north of the state.
The report is due at the end of the month and may include tips for moving parts of Lismore.
NSW Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet speaks at the infrastructure summit on flood response. (9 News)
“We absolutely have to do it. If we have another flood like this in two or three years, and we just go back and forth and do the same thing and lives are lost,” Perrottet said.
“It simply came to our notice then.
“A lot of people have lost everything, and a lot of that has to be attributed to the mistakes of governments in the past.”
Heavy flooding affected Lismore in March and the cleanup continues. (Getty)
Tweed Shire Mayor has echoed the Prime Minister’s sentiments to move parts of Lismore to prevent further devastation by floods.
“The only thing that will make sure we don’t come back here doing the same thing in a few years is get people off the floodplain,” Chris Cherry said during a public hearing.
Lismore MP Janelle Saffin has called on the government to help fund land exchanges and housing developments as a solution to the floods.
“We can’t take too long, because people are making decisions now,” Saffin said.
Many Lismore residents still live in temporary housing after the floods. (9 News)
However, residents have called the prime minister’s comments on the city’s move “unhelpful” and “porous”.
“I don’t move, my business has been running for 33 years, it’s a second-generation family business,” said Matthew Healy, owner of the Lismore business.
“If I leave home, I will never be able to buy another home because this is my repository,” another Lismore resident told 9News.
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