SES to get $132 million in state budget after catastrophic flood disasters

The SES was criticised over inconsistent evacuation warnings during recent floods. Now the agency is getting more money to bolster staff to aid its disaster response.

The flood-ravaged Northern Rivers will get a bigger emergency services presence as part of a $132.7 million investment in the SES.

The budget boost comes after an inquiry into deadly flooding in March last year found the agency was hampered by staffing and resource problems.

A new incident control centre will be built and staffed in Lismore, as part of $43 million in funding to create two new SES zones in the state’s north and west.

It is understood the Northern SES zone – which currently covers a massive area from the Central Coast to the Queensland border – will be split in half, to give better SES coverage in the state’s north.

The SES will also get almost $60 million to upgrade 18 critical priority unit facilities.

The SES will get $132 million in the state budget to help it respond to natural disasters like the flooding in Lismore in March. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

The boundaries for the two new zones are yet to be finalised.

Almost $30 million will be used to build new zone headquarters and upgrade existing facilities.

A little more than $1 million will be used to develop a “Facility Strategy” and create business cases to address recommendations from the review into the 2021 floods.

The SES faced criticism during catastrophic flooding earlier this year over inconsistent flood evacuation warnings.

The Northern Rivers has just one SES volunteer per “1,500 (or) 2,000” people, Tweed MP Geoff Provest told a parliamentary inquiry into the flood response earlier this month.

The Upper House inquiry is separate to an inquiry by former police commissioner Mick Fuller and scientist Mary O’Kane into what went wrong during the floods response.

The SES was criticised for late or inconsistent evacuation warnings during the March Northern Rivers floods. Picture: Toby Zerna

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the extra funding will give the SES “the resources it needs” to respond to natural disasters like the recent devastating floods.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the funding will help speed up SES response times. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“The NSW Government is committed to investing in communities to strengthen frontline services right across the State,” Mr Perrottet said.

Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the funding would ensure a faster and more targeted response to disasters.

“The new facilities and additional staff will help boost the SES’s capability to handle severe weather events particularly in flood prone areas like the Northern Rivers, and to ensure these communities are better prepared,” Mr Toole said.

SES Commissioner Carlene York said the funding will help the SES boost its responsiveness.

“This investment in the SES enhances our support of our greatest asset, our volunteers, and enables us to provide the vital assistance NSW communities need to protect life and property around the State,” Commissioner York said.