Eurobodalla Shire Council deputy mayor demands flood mitigation action

Local governments from Lismore to Wyndham released a joint statement on Thursday calling on the federal government to invest in disaster mitigation.

Eurobodalla businesses were disrupted due to road closures and the unsealed road network was damaged during the recent flooding event.

Ms Worthington said while CBDs avoided flooding - unlike in 2021 - the tourism industry took a hit when holidays were cancelled once again.

"There's no doubt that it's threatening our economy, it's threatening our livelihoods, it's threatening our health and safety, infrastructure and even just the natural beauty of our beautiful Eurobodalla Shire," she said.

Local governments have called for increased funding for responding to climate impacts and assurance funding would extend to all damaged assets.

Councils want a 'betterment' principle incorporated in the response to natural disasters which provides an avenue for communities to build back better and takes into account the future impact of climate change.

Ms Worthington said local governments were embracing the need to address climate change, the root cause of these disasters, but they needed federal support.

"We feel like sitting ducks," she said.

"After the fires we said we'd never complain about rain again, but people are starting to grumble a little bit."

Flood victims from northern NSW travelled to Sydney on Monday to protest Prime Minister Scott Morrison's handling of the flood crisis outside Kirribilli House.

Lismore City Councillor Elly Bird said in a statement that she stood with councillors and mayors demanding action this week.

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"If we're to learn a lesson from the catastrophic flooding that we are now seeing happen in Australia every few years, it's that we are severely under prepared for catastrophic events like this one," she said.

"Local governments, like Lismore City Council, have been trying to work together with our communities to take action against climate change and build resilience. But we need more support and we need it urgently.

"Now is the time for our government to lead the country in delivering on an ambitious emissions reduction target this decade to protect communities like ours from the future climate shocks that we know are coming and that we are living every single day."

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