The NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) has released a clarifying statement following Wednesday's attempt to disconnect water to Pine Street properties as they look to move illegal squatters on so they can perform assessments on the buyback houses for relocation.

As reported by the Lismore App, they were successful at a Little Keen Street buyback house, also occupied by illegal squatters.

An NSWRA spokesperson said:

NSW Police, Homes NSW and Social Futures have made extensive efforts to engage with the illegal occupants, offering alternative accommodation and access to support services. 

Most offers have been rejected.

In January 2025, notices to vacate were issued to 40 individuals illegally occupying homes in Lismore.

The illegal occupants were given seven days to vacate the premises, but more than three weeks after the notices were served, numerous properties remain occupied.

After exhausting all available options, the RA has now taken the step to permanently disconnect water services, which had been reconnected by these illegal occupants.

This decision has not been made lightly. The Resilient Homes Program was designed to support those genuinely affected by flooding, not to bear the cost of removing illegal occupants from homes that are part of the buyback program.

On Wednesday, 12 February 2025, a contractor acting on behalf of the RA commenced the permanent disconnection of water services to Resilient Homes Program properties in Lismore.

Later today, staff from the NSWRA and Richmond Police District will meet with spokespeople for the illegal squatters to try and negotiate a date for the group to vacate the houses permanently. Negotiations in the past have proven fruitless.

The NSWRA has purchased over 525 high at-risk houses in the Lismore LGA as part of the Resilient Homes Program (RHP), an initiative that offers buybacks for homes severely impacted by the catastrophic February 2022 flood and which now pose an ongoing threat to human life in future flooding events.

The homes currently illegally occupied are situated in an area that was devastated by the floods, making their buyback essential to mitigate further risk to life and to protect the community.

As part of the buyback process, services, including power and water, were disconnected, and fencing was erected at each premises to prevent unauthorised persons from entering the houses and to ensure public safety. ,

In some instances, illegal occupants have reconnected services, including water.

Notices to vacate the properties were issued to approximately 40 individuals on January 21 – disconnection of water services was included in the letter to occupants and advised verbally as the next step.