Community members and housing advocates gathered in Lismore today to demand an immediate halt to the ongoing demolition of structurally sound homes by the NSW Reconstruction Authority. The rally is the latest expression of growing outrage across the Northern Rivers at what locals are calling a betrayal of the Government's recovery promises.
Greens MP and spokesperson for the North Coast, Sue Higginson, who joined the rally, said:
"The people of Lismore were promised a recovery that was community-led, compassionate and future-focused. What we are witnessing instead is the senseless destruction of homes that could still offer hope, safety and shelter - all in the middle of a housing crisis."
"These homes are not just timber and tin - they are part of people's lives, memories and futures. Many of them have been lovingly maintained and were previously identified as suitable for relocation. The decision to crush, shred and dispose of them without proper oversight is an insult to this community and a failure of leadership."
"It's even more distressing to learn that people who offered to take and relocate these homes have been turned away. There's no transparency. There's no fairness. And there's no compassion."
"We've also now seen aerial footage of a facility where some of these homes have been taken and it's shocking. Homes being dumped and further torn apart by industrial machines, with Big Scrub hardwood timbers crushed into piles of general waste or maybe turned into mulching products. The Government is trying to spin this as recycling, but it's greenwashing, plain and simple,"
"This is not what recovery looks like. This is a waste of viable homes and a breach of trust. The Government must immediately pause the demolitions, release the assessment criteria, and honour their commitments to deliver a just, community-led recovery."
"If the Premier and Minister for Recovery want to rebuild trust, they need to start by listening to the people of Lismore - not bulldozing over them." Ms Higginson said.
See the letter to the Premier and Minister.
The community is calling for:
- An immediate pause on all demolitions of structurally sound homes in Lismore.
- Full public disclosure of the criteria used to assess homes for demolition or relocation.
- All homes eligible for relocation to be made available for free, provided the mover covers relocation costs.
- A recovery process that is trauma-informed and genuinely community-led.
