‘War’: NSW Premier Chris Minns slammed over decision to knock down Lismore homes following ex-Tropical Cycone Alfred

The decision to knock down vacant homes in Lismore following ex-Cylone Alfred has been likened to a declaration of “war”.

A decision to knock down houses in northern NSW after emergency crews had to check if vacant homes occupied by squatters had been evacuated ahead of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s expected landfall has been slammed.

NSW Premier Chris Minns on Tuesday announced homes would be demolished after emergency services had to go check on vacant homes typically occupied by squatters in northern NSW amid Alfred last week.

“Unbeknown to me, in all candour, I wasn’t aware that we were currently in court trying to execute eviction notices on some members of those communities when (ex) Tropical Cyclone Alfred emerged in the last week,” Mr Minns said during a press conference.

“This is a completely unacceptable set of circumstances. It’s not tolerable to have so many people located in flood-prone land, still in danger, and have SES personnel, volunteers, have to go and check on those households, check on those communities, to keep them safe.”

Flooding in Lismore after ex-TC Alfred crossed the Queensland coast. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

The homes in question were bought back by the state government’s Resilient Homes scheme under the Reconstruction Authority (RA) following the devastation of the 2022 Lismore floods.

Mr Minns said having squatters move into the vacant properties was “completely unacceptable”, and the homes would be demolished in the coming weeks.

“We’re going to make sure that these communities are safe, and we can’t have an intolerable situation where large numbers of people are in harm’s way after NSW taxpayers have spent millions of dollars trying to make the community safer,” he said.

“I can’t have a situation where, when a tropical cyclone or the next flood hits Lismore, we are checking on houses that should be vacant as a result of millions of dollars that we’ve already spent.”

NSW Premier announced vacant homes in Lismore would be demolished. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

He said the government wasn’t “trying to exacerbate the housing issues” in the area, but claimed housing problems would not be solved by “moving people into flood-prone land”.

“We have to draw a line in the sand here, and that means demolishing those houses and ensuring that we can get on with life in the Northern Rivers,” he said.

However, the decision was slammed by NSW Greens member Sue Higginson, who claimed Mr Minns had “declared war” on the northern NSW community with his announcement.

Ms Higginson specifically took issue with comments made by Mr Minns on 2GB, separate to his announcement at Tuesday’s press conference.

Greens MP Sue Higginson slammed Mr Minns’ decision. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Ms Higginson claimed “every single person” involved in the debate about members occupying the vacant properties wanted to ensure those people were in “safe and secure homes” up until the radio segment.

“Premier Minns has shattered that by trying to score political points against a community that is still recovering,” Ms Higginson said.

“This morning on 2GB radio he unilaterally declared that he will knock down and demolish beautiful old timber homes in North Lismore to satisfy his insecurity as he punches down on some in my community.”

Scenes from the Lismore CBD over the weekend as floodwater recedes. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

She said those living in the vacant homes on Pine St in Lismore had evacuated on Thursday “well before Cyclone Alfred was ever supposed to make landfall”.

“I was there and saw for myself,” she said.

“Unlike Chris Minns’ false and inflammatory claims, these people created no risk to themselves, the SES, or any of the community as a result of occupying homes that were supposed to be relocated after the 2022 floods.”

She said the squatters were “making use of unused homes in the middle of a housing crisis”.

“The people living in these homes in Lismore have made it clear that when there is a plan for the homes to be relocated, that they would peacefully and willingly leave so that the relocation can occur,” she said.

“They have offered to facilitate inspections for potential buyers and have cared for and restored these properties that would otherwise have been left by the Government to fall apart.”

She said Mr Minns had “declared war” on the community.

“Chris Minns has declared war on this small part of my community, and I am struggling to believe that after he has returned to the comfort of his own home in Kogarah, when some in my family are still isolated in flood waters in theirs, he has then gone to 2GB to raise a lynch mob of supporters,” she said.

Floodwaters on the Wilson River rising in Lismore after ex-TC Alfred crossed the Queensland coast over the weekend. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

Squatters not using homelessness services

However, NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson claimed the squatters weren’t engaged with housing and homelessness services, and said efforts by the government to address housing and homelessness were being “undermined” by the squatters.

“NSW is using some of the houses in the South Lismore areas as transitional housing, where they’re at the standard that they can be used for that, but a lot of them aren’t,” Ms Jackson said on 2GB.

“(The homes have) been bought back with taxpayer money by the NSW government because they’re not safe to live in.

“We need to move beyond these kinds of stunts and into the investments that we are already making, and there’s more to come to actually confront housing and homelessness, and it’s not going to be confronted by that kind of activity.”

Lismore MP Janelle Saffin also addressed previous reports in the media that some of the squatters were from overseas and interstate rather than Lismore locals.

“If anyone’s a local, we’re engaged with them, we’re working with them, we’re helping,” Ms Saffin told 2GB.

“The spokesperson, who’s been in the media, she said she came from Tuscany and she said that she was here to help connect our community.

“Our community is really well connected. We don’t need anyone coming in from outside to connect us.”

NSW Housing Minister Rose Jackson claimed the squatters weren’t using available housing and homelessness support services. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

A NSW RA spokesperson said they were working with police to address squatters living in the homes devastated by the 2022 floods.

“Illegal occupancy obstructs our efforts to repurpose, relocate or demolish these properties, delaying the community’s recovery and safety,” the spokesperson said.

“These homes were bought back by the Government because they pose a serious and ongoing risk to human life. The most recent operational planning for ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred demonstrated the vulnerability of the bought back homes and the significant burden placed on the NSW SES who undertook door knocking as part of evacuation orders.”

The spokesperson said it was “untenable” for the squatters to return to the homes and occupy them again following flooding from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“RA is working to engage contractors to undertake emergency demolitions as quickly as possible following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. The demolitions will be focused on the highest flood and safety risk areas in the first instance,” the spokesperson said.