Although the independent inquiry into the NSW floods is expected to deliver its report to the state government on Sunday, there's still no firm date on when it will released to the public.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Five months after the floods, the acting NSW Premier, Paul Toole, said the government needed time to consider the report's recommendations before it was released to the community "within the month of August".
He would also not be drawn on when a buyback scheme would be implemented, believing it would pre-empt the findings of the flood inquiry.
MORE STORIES:
On a visit to the region, Mr Toole was peppered with questions about the report's release date, as the community remains largely in limbo until it gets some clear directions from above on the next steps in the recovery and reconstruction process.
The report, which has been prepared by Mick Fuller and Mary O'Kane, is due on Sunday.
"We do want to get that report on Sunday, we want to review it as quickly as possible, but also release it to the public, that has been our commitment," Mr Toole said at press conference on Thursday.
"We also know there will be a number of recommendations made through that flood inquiry and I think that is important to give answers to the community ... to support the community to rebuild in the local area
"I would expect that sometime within the month of August that the report itself will be released.
"I don't think that the premier has made any denial of actually of releasing that report, sooner rather than later, and I think the community also want to see that report."
Mr Toole said the government wanted the chance to go through the report "effectively".
"I think there are going to be things the government can do in the short term, the medium term and the longer term and this is about giving some clarity and certainty to the community," he said.
He praised Mr Fuller and Ms O'Kane on being able to complete the report two months earlier than was previously anticipated.
But now there seems to be some hedging around when the general public will get their hands on it.
There is no doubt people want to know what is going to be in the report," he said.
"Councils want to know, communities want to know, governments need to know because that is going to help us to plan and rebuild communities back like Lismore and Ballina and all those along the Northern Rivers that have actually been impacted by recent flooding," he said.
"There are people that are sitting back at the moment and they are waiting to see what is actually is inside the report itself to be able to understand and to take the next steps in their lives as well."
Mr Toole said he expected there would be announcements about appointments to the Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation's board soon.
I'm a media professional with over 34 years of experience in public relations and journalism, including a decade setting Lismore's news agenda as the editor of The Northern Star. I have proven track record in growing audiences and improving engagement by delivering quality local stories for and about the Lismore community.
I'm a media professional with over 34 years of experience in public relations and journalism, including a decade setting Lismore's news agenda as the editor of The Northern Star. I have proven track record in growing audiences and improving engagement by delivering quality local stories for and about the Lismore community.
