Lismore Mayor and MP furious at attempts to blame flood victims for lack of emergency accommodation

Lismore’s mayor and MP have reacted furiously to attempts by a new government authority to “blame shift” the lack of temporary accommodation back onto flood victims.

Lismore’s mayor and MP have reacted furiously to attempts by the newly formed NSW Reconstruction Authority to “blame shift” the lack of temporary accommodation onto flood victims.

The Daily Telegraph exclusively revealed that 10 purpose built temporary accommodation pods were sitting empty on the roadside in Lismore while residents were still sleeping in their cars under their flood damaged homes.

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said: “We have families here 10 months on from the flood who are living in very makeshift accommodation.”

The NSW Reconstruction Authority’s own figures show 765 people are living in emergency accommodation including motels and caravan parks while they wait for temporary pod homes to be built.

Four out of 11 pod villages are still under construction. A NSW Government spokesman said: “Hepburn Park and Clifford Park, have been put forward to Council on three occasions for consideration but have been rejected by Councillors.”

Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg is furious over the ‘blame shifting’. Picture: Cath Piltz

Mr Krieg said councillors rejected building a pod village on the main oval because it was a crucial dry landing ground for emergency service crews and choppers during the floods. “Where are they going to land if we are flooded in 12 months time and there is a pod village there?” he said.

“We have offered them three other sites but they have not been explored.”

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Locals have inundated the authority with offers of land for pod villages. “I know of someone who has eight acres, close to services and ready to go. He contacted them seven months ago and has not heard back,” Mr Krieg said. The NSW Reconstruction Authority has been approached for comment.

Officials from the Authority, which was born out of the failed $1.4 billion funded Resilience NSW body, also spent time yesterday briefing journalists that the people who spoke up had not applied for help in the correct way.

“That is the mantra of the old Resilience NSW of blame shifting,” Mr Krieg said. “The point is these individuals need help.”

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg (left) and then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison (right) announcing financial support for flood affected parts of the Northern Rivers in March of 2022. Picture: Nicholas Rupolo

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said the government officials “are completely missing the point.”

“I have a list of people who have specifically requested a pod and are still sleeping in their cars or under their houses,” she said.

She said her constituency was filled with people living with friends or in their cars who had not applied for help and were trying to sort out their lives. Many others were simply waiting.

“Four weeks ago I asked where those 800 people waiting for temporary accommodation are exactly and I am still waiting for an answer,” Ms Saffin said.

“Why don’t these officials come for a walk around Lismore with me and I will show them where the people who need help are.”

A NSW Government spokeswoman said it was in “regular engagement” with Lismore City Council to find suitable temporary housing sites. A Housing Taskforce had taken expressions of interest for the NSW Reconstruction Authority to identify “suitable locations” for pod sites.

The spokeswoman said the Authority had made contact with the people quoted in The Daily Telegraph yesterday “to check on their welfare and understand their specific circumstances”.

She urged any impacted individual to contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 for help.