NSW identifies the LGAs most at risk of natural disaster

Ultimately, the strategy outlines how the rising costs of disasters can be addressed by refocusing government policy towards risk-reducing actions, and details how government agencies can work together to help communities prepare for worsening bushfires, heatwaves, floods, storms and coastal erosion.

But developing these mitigation strategies also means identifying the biggest risks, which has shed a light on local government areas (LGAs) across the state that are most vulnerable to damage when disaster strikes.

The results showed that storms and floods present the highest risk to homes, businesses and infrastructure, while heatwaves and bushfires present the greatest risk to life.

Research for the plan showed that of the state’s 128 local government areas, the 20 currently most at risk from multiple hazards are the Central Coast, Tweed, Clarence Valley, Ballina, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Hawkesbury, Sydney, Lake Macquarie, Blacktown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Sutherland Shire, Newcastle, Bayside, Liverpool, Wollongong, Parramatta, Lismore, Shoalhaven and the Inner West.

And while today’s release provides some a step in the right direction for preparing these and other areas for an expected increase in extreme weather events, it’s clear that a localised approach is also needed. So, the government has gone to work on the first three area-specific plans, with strategies for the Northern Rivers, the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, and the Central West plan currently in various stages of planning or development.

These “local disaster adaptation plans” will eventually be developed for all communities to inform future planning processes and rebuilding and reconstruction efforts after a disaster occurs.

Other actions that will roll out as a result of the overarching plan include:

• Boosting the state’s “Get Ready” preparedness campaigns to ensure communities are better equipped.
• Building a new local government toolkit to guide councils in preparing for disasters and the impacts of climate change.
• Developing early warning systems so communities are better prepared when disaster strikes.
• Identifying mitigation infrastructure strategies and approaches to funding.
• Working with industry to review building codes to factor in greater building resilience through materials and design.
• Reviewing insurance levy arrangements and working with the insurance sector to factor in affordability in adaption planning.

The state stressed the importance of shifting disaster strategies to forward planning as opposed to post-event recovery, as events are expected to grow more frequent, severe and costly.

Current average annual damage amounts to $3.1 billion per year in NSW, and the report warned that number could easily triple by 2060 if mitigation steps are not taken.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully, said it’s time to flip the script on disaster-related costs.

“Historically, the state’s ability to prevent and prepare for disasters hasn’t worked as there has been only 3 per cent of funding spent on prevention and 97 per cent spent after an event. But we know that every dollar we invest in better preparing communities reduces future costs and will help make communities more resilient,” Mr Scully said.

“The cost of inaction is too great. We need to better prepare and plan for disasters so we can lessen the burden on our communities. It gives us the tools we need to make better, more informed decisions about planning, so we can deliver more resilient homes away from areas of high risk,” he added.