The New South Wales (NSW) government will introduce legislation to create a recommended Reconstruction Authority as the state suffers through ongoing floods.
Premier Dominic Perrottet says the permanent agency will be dedicated to preparing NSW for disaster, as well as recovery and reconstruction efforts.
“We need to make sure communities across NSW are equipped to respond to natural disasters,” Perrottet said.
“This is also about ensuring our communities have the support they need to bounce back after a disaster hits.”
The Reconstruction Authority will be the lead agency for disaster prevention in NSW.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole said it would improve natural disaster management.
“This will fast-track critical support for disaster-struck communities by acting as the lead authority in times of crisis, helping get money out the door fast, cutting red tape for planning approvals and providing on-the-ground access to information in communities’ toughest times,” Toole said.
The government response to an upper house inquiry into major flooding is also due on Wednesday.
A separate review was conducted for the government by former chief scientist Mary O'Kane and former police commissioner Mick Fuller, who recommended establishing the Reconstruction Authority with legislation to be introduced this year.
The review and the inquiry both criticised Resilience NSW, created following the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires.
NSW Government to Help Teachers, Nurses, Police Own Their Own Homes
The government had some success on Tuesday, passing a shared equity scheme aimed at helping teachers, nurses, police, single parents, and older singles own their own homes valued at up to $950,000.The government will contribute an equity share of up to 40 percent for new homes and 30 percent for existing ones for eligible buyers.
It will allow those buyers to take smaller loans with a lower deposit, costing them less in repayments.
Up to 6000 buyers will only need a two per cent deposit under the scheme, set to be trialled over two years.
However, the Premier’s push for a trial to begin in January, which would allow first-home buyers to avoid stamp duty and instead opt for an ongoing land tax, faced further delays from both the Greens and Labor.
The Greens moved an amendment that would halt the scheme’s commencement until after the election.
Labor has already pledged to repeal the scheme if it commences before then and it subsequently wins government.
Finance Minister Damien Tudehope presented the bill to the upper house on Tuesday, tabling a related statement of public interest.
“Although totally unrequired because the public importance of the bill is entirely self-evident,” Tudehope said.
Labor’s John Graham was unimpressed with the length of the statement.
“One page ... it was single-sided,” he said.
“Sometimes being concise is a good thing,” Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said.
The upper house was set to debate the bill late into Tuesday night.
