ALL ten mayors of the Hunter Region have signed a joint statement calling for the allocation of additional disaster support funding.

The Hunter Joint Association said the Hunter region has seen recent devastation across all reaches of the region, with nine out of ten councils being declared as Disaster Zones.

Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

The joint statement said, “Many communities have seen irreparable damage, while being cut off from roads, shops, and power.

“As one of the biggest growth areas and economic contributors in NSW, the Hunter needs support from other levels of government to recover from this disaster.

“We acknowledge the recently announced $1M grants for disaster declared LGAs.

“We welcome and are grateful for every additional dollar.

“In comparison with past disasters, we have seen an improved and more timely response, but this needs to be put into the context of this being a region that has faced many large-scale natural disasters but has continuously been underfunded,” the Hunter Joint Association said.

The Association noted that their communities are still recovering from previous floods, coastal erosion, droughts, and bushfires and as a region, and a state, believe they are currently ill-equipped to get ahead.

“Our councils are working together with our communities to address climate change, recover and take action, but we need more support.

“We are calling on both the State and Federal Government to provide more assistance to our region to address the urgent infrastructure repairs needed in the disaster declared councils in the Greater Newcastle and Hunter region, in response to these floods and coastal erosion beyond the grants that are already provided,” they said.

The Association believes that funding sources for councils to respond to natural disasters need to be increased to help our communities recover, prepare, and adapt, while also allowing LGAs to ‘build back better’ to be more resilient to future disasters.

Investment from the State and Federal Government at this early stage will be crucial to ensuring our communities come out of this stronger.

“This funding needs to include adequate financial support to resource both dedicated local emergency management committees and officers for each council.

“Dedicated and funded resources will improve responses to natural disasters; it will minimise the draw on staff with existing and ongoing responsibilities who cannot function for our communities when asked to cover disaster response and recovery for prolonged periods

“This far-reaching event will take time to completely recover from, but our communities need support, and they need it now.

“With many of our communities still recovering from the March 2022 floods, only four months ago, the current repairs are beyond Councils’ capabilities.

“We need the State and Federal Government to step up and deliver the funds, projects and resourcing that are needed. Local Government cannot do this alone,” they concluded.

By Tara CAMPBELL