Hawkesbury residents need to be a part of any conversation regarding flood buybacks of properties following six floods in under three years, said Hawkesbury City Mayor Sarah McMahon.
Mayor McMahon said while she is glad for the 2000 homeowners in the Northern Rivers who can now opt-in to have their flood-affected properties bought back by the Federal and State governments, while others can access substantial grants to conduct major renovations or rebuilding projects to their homes to improve flood resilience, she said once again the Hawkesbury had been left out of the conversation.
"Hundreds of property owners in the Hawkesbury have been affected just as badly as residents in and around Lismore. Where is their buyback offer? Where are their grants?" said Mayor McMahon.
"Like the Northern Rivers, flooding in the Hawkesbury is not going to go away. While we acknowledge and are grateful for the State Government's commitment to raising the Warragamba Dam wall, this is a longer term mitigation project and it is just one of a number of steps that need to be taken to protect lives, livelihoods and properties in the Hawkesbury.
"However, the both the state and federal government has not initiated, nor responded to our calls for a conversation about immediate flood mitigation, nor for Warragamba Dam levels to be reduced in the meantime. The Hawkesbury needs to be a part of this conversation and both governments need to be the ones to lead it."
Mayor McMahon said the recent inquiry into the floods called for the government to "Identify and prioritise those communities most at risk from future disasters, and for whom relocation may be appropriate or necessary".
"Many parts of the Hawkesbury fit the description of 'most at risk from future disasters', which is why we simply must not be forgotten," Mayor McMahon said.
"For some residents in our very low lying areas, flooding is and always will be an issue. These residents should be given the same opportunities as those in the Northern Rivers to opt-in to a buyback scheme with the government or to build their homes back with flood resilience in mind.
"I call on Premier Perrottet and Prime Minister Albanese to pick up the phone and call me to discuss how Hawkesbury residents are going to be looked after."
