Nine natural disasters in three years adds up to the new reality of life on the Illawarra and South Coast, with floods, fires and storms battering local communities. 

Yet, when it comes to rebuilding, state and federal disaster funding rules force councils to simply restore roads and infrastructure to their pre-disaster state - no upgrades, no future-proofing, just patchwork repairs.

Member for Kiama Gareth Ward is calling for change, urging the NSW Government to push for a “build back better” approach, like Queensland’s, which prioritises resilient infrastructure over band-aid fixes.

Without it, locals will be left watching their roads wash away again and again, according to the independent member.

He has spoken up in State Parliament to call for the implementation of recommendations from the Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements to enshrine “betterment” so that disaster-impacted communities ‘build back better’.

“We shouldn’t be replacing goat tracks with newer goat tracks,” he told Parliament.

“Under current arrangements, government funding only provides for the reconstruction of public assets to its pre-disaster condition. But with so many roads originally built as far back as the 19th century, the current guidelines don’t ensure we rebuild infrastructure for the next 50 years rather than simply the next flood.

“Taxpayers deserve betterment. When rebuilding after a natural disaster, governments, at all levels, need to consider how we can not only prevent essential infrastructure succumbing to mother nature, but how can we use this opportunity to futureproof public assets.

“Betterment funding, for a relatively small additional investment, will save millions of dollars in years to come by making sure that infrastructure is rebuilt to withstand more extreme bushfires, cyclones, and floods.

“The Queensland Government has enshrined betterment in so many of its programs.

He said he had faith in the NSW Government to “secure a better deal for disaster-impacted communities”.