Resilience NSW boss to be dumped, agency scaled down, under key recommendation of flood inquiry report – Michmutters
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Resilience NSW boss to be dumped, agency scaled down, under key recommendation of flood inquiry report

It has since faced scrutiny over its role, budget and employee-related expenses amounting to $38.5 million for 245 staff.

Fitzsimmons in April said the agency was designed to provide “a more streamlined and co-ordinated approach” to handle recovery operations.

However, the flood inquiry report will recommend a significantly smaller, more agile office.

Responsibilities like emergency accommodation in evacuation centers should be allocated to the Department of Communities and Justice, which has daily expertise in dealing with people in crisis. Increased funding will be critical to supporting this, the report will advise.

The office which replaces the agency should instead focus on the response in the first 100 days after a disaster.

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Other recommendations in the report will include strategies to address the future management of flood prone areas.

Perrottet is yet to release the inquiry’s findings, which were delivered by Fuller and O’Kane over the weekend.

The premier’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Last week Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the government wanted to report back to flood-affected communities as soon as possible, committing to releasing the report in August.

“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.”

NSW Labor leader Chris Minns on Thursday said he had concerns about Resilience NSW, but stopped short of calling for a decision on its future before the report was released.

“I think the evidence is overwhelming at this point, that the massive bureaucracy that is Resilience NSW being placed on top of our emergency services has not worked,” Minns said.

with Natassia Chrysanthos

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