Have Your Say
Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley residents from eight Local Government areas are being encouraged to have their say and join a new community panel to help work underway to reduce the risk and impact of future floods in the region following six major flood events since 2020.
The NSW Reconstruction Authority announced the state’s first regional Disaster Adaptation Plan on Tuesday, March 19th saying it will investigate infrastructure options “to better support communities” as well as strategies and ways to improve flood awareness and preparedness.
NSW Reconstruction Authority Head, Adaptation Mitigation & Reconstruction, Amanda Leck said: “The NSW Reconstruction Authority wants to reduce flood risk where we can and adapt where we can’t. I encourage everyone across the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley to share what they think their regional DAP should look like.”
“Being informed will save lives – there’s no simple solution to flooding in the Valley but we are making sure people are as prepared as they can be. This DAP will also be a key tool for our leading emergency services, including the NSW SES, who put their lives on the line when floods unfold.”
But the announcement has dismayed the Hawkesbury Community Alliance which issued a statement saying: “Two years after the last major floods, the NSW Government has yet to provide tangible results, and we appear to be still in a consultation phase. This is yet another ‘talk fest’ with no action.
“Despite the community’s active participation in the NSW Parliamentary FloodInquiry and unwavering cooperation with all information requests, the current government and the one before it have failed to deliver meaningful outcomes. This inertia is frustrating and disappointing.
“Hawkesbury Community Alliance has gone above and beyond by inviting several politicians to witness the devastation firsthand, including speaking to impacted residents.
It also hosted the Flood mitigation forum, with expert input from Professor Stuart Khan for the community, politicians, and media, sharing what actions would make a difference in the future. Yet, despite these efforts, the situation remains stagnant. “
The Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley stretches from Brooklyn to Wallacia and Wisemans Ferry. It covers land in the Hawkesbury, Hills, Blacktown, Penrith, Central Coast, Wollondilly, Liverpool and Hornsby local government areas.
NSW Reconstruction Authority Deputy CEO, Simone Walker said: “Floods in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley have devastated communities, homes and businesses, and we know people will only face more and worse impacts if nothing changes.
“This critical work will provide strategies and actions to make sure people living and working in the Valley are safe and better prepared.
“Community input is vital to this work and the RA is seeking feedback to help us develop ways to better prepare for, and recover from, future floods.”
The DAP is being developed in partnership with community, councils, government agencies, emergency services and technical specialists and will be delivered by mid-2025.
Community members can visit a dedicated Have Your Say page to share their views and express interest in joining the new Hawkesbury- Nepean Valley DAP community panel https:// www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/hnv-disasteradaptation- plan or email hnrfloodstudy@ reconstruction.nsw.gov.au
