There has been a mix of criticism, confusion and anger after the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) today released a strategy aimed to provide new residential developments for the region.

If you would like more information about the strategy, please read The Lismore App’s earlier story here: NRRC release draft 'Resilient Lands Strategy'

10 sites have been identified in the Lismore – six of those have been identified as ‘short term’, meaning they are ready for immediate on-ground investigations following the completion of community consultation.

There has been a consistent message from our local politicians that whilst it is welcome progress, the strategy lacks a lot of detail.

State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin echoed that point, saying many residents still had questions that needed answers.

“It's great to have extra land made available for housing, and that priority will be to people who are flood impacted,” she said.

“We have a housing crisis, so it's great to have this, and to have some State Government money to be able to do it.”

“However, from the community perspective, we want detail.”

Ms Saffin posing questions many residents will want answers to regarding specific locations of the blocks, and the time frame around its delivery.

“Where are they? What are the time frames? What's the process now?”

“It was said that there would be community consultation, well what are they being consulted about?”

“It's just a total lack of communication or lack of understanding of what our community needs… I don't expect the NRRC to fix everything, I just expect them to be able to communicate with our community.”

Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan said he was deeply concerned about the lack of clarity around the timeline.

“It is an exceptionally disappointing day,” he said.

“The timeline for the short-term housing options are zero to five years… they’re not even saying the year that some of this housing will be finished, completed and available.”

“They're not giving us specifically where the land is, just hazy maps.”

This is the map released as part of the strategy, there are no specific locations given.

“People need to be able to, with certainty, make decisions about if they're going to accept the buyback, and know when the land will be available, or when they'll have other options.”

“There’s no pricing in this, so they're not even getting price guides or timing options, so people will have no way of making decisions.”

“It is going to be three years after the event before people will move into a house from his program… that is unacceptable.”

“The fact that this is so slow, means that people will have no option but to leave our region.”

“This is a nothing announcement with no data or information, it doesn't help anybody.”

Resilient Lismore Executive Director Elly Bird said the strategy is another step in our recovery.

“It's good to finally see the strategy released, because it is another step along the pathway of looking at what that aspect of the program looks like,” she said.

“We know that there will be some frustration in the community, because it doesn't really provide a lot of answers about what the actual mechanisms will be for people to secure land.”

“At the moment, it's sort of the beginning of that work.

“We recognise it as the beginning, but we understand that might be a bit frustrating for the community, because it is such a long process.”

“A lot of people are still really keen to find themselves a pathway to safety.”

“People want to understand specifics… they also want to understand how it integrates with the with buybacks.”

“If they're offered a buyback, what are the opportunities that exist within the resilient lands part of the package… that's the bit that's still unclear.”

A spokesperson for Lismore City Council welcomed the release of the document, but also acknowledged the lack of detail.

“Council welcomes the release of the Draft Resilient Lands Strategy, noting that more detail is still needed,” they said.

“Council will be making a submission on the Strategy to the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation.”

Lismore City Council Mayor Steve Krieg has also been contacted for comment.

The Draft Resilient Lands Strategy is live on the NRRC website and will be open for comment from the community and stakeholders until Friday, 30 June 2023. Click here to provide feedback: https://regionalnsw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_easiirBptrFEbmm