In the first episode of Australian Mayors by Better Cities, host Dan Barr talks with Lismore City Council Mayor Steve Krieg. Steve grew up in Western Australia, studied in Newcastle, taught school for 14 years, then ran a café in Lismore’s CBD for nearly 20 years. By then the city’s population hadn’t grown since 1998 and businesses were closing, so he succesfully ran for Council. Forty-seven days later, the record February 2022 flood hit. Steve talks about getting the city through the clean-up and setting up a dedicated Flood Restoration Portfolio. That team has worked through more than 200 grants from 13 different funding bodies. He also covers the precinct planning for around 750 bought-back homes, which is effectively a re-master-planning of the whole town. Looking ahead, Steve says the main challenge is rebuilding confidence and changing Lismore’s image as “the flood town”. Lismore is pitching itself as “the city of yes”, with affordable housing, a central location in the Northern Rivers, and strong health and education services. A new Local Strategic Planning Statement targets 60,000 residents. Steve calls for NSW, and the nation, to adopt Queensland’s single-agency disaster funding model, and he describes his 10-year vision: 10–12,000 more residents, a vibrant CBD with a strong retail sector, young families, and Lismore as a “city of events”. (00:00) Introduction: Lismore and the 2022 floods (record 14.4 m Wilsons River peak) (01:15) Steve’s journey: from WA to Newcastle, teaching in Casino, then buying a café in Lismore (04:10) Lismore’s decline: the 2017 levee overtopping, business closures, no population growth since 1998 (06:15) The 2021 election: a 50-candidate ticket wins six of 11 seats (08:45) Elected 47 days before the February 2022 flood (11:40) Challenges for the next 10 years: rebuilding confidence and the new Local Strategic Planning Statement (13:20) The Flood Restoration Portfolio: more than 200 grants from 13 funding bodies (14:35) Precinct planning for around 750 bought-back homes (16:15) Opportunities: affordability, location, and the investor briefing at NSW Parliament House (19:10) A short-stay accommodation DA approved in 67 days (19:35) Working with state and federal government, the sewage treatment plant, and the pump station’s $9M shortfall (23:20) Lessons from elsewhere: the Queensland Reconstruction Authority model and NEMA (25:25) The 10-year vision: 10–12,000 more residents, a vibrant CBD, and a city of events Documents and links referenced Lismore 60,000 – Local Strategic Planning Statement (PDF) Lismore 60,000 Strategic Planning Framework (Your Say) Lismore Economic Development Strategy (PDF) Lismore Events Strategy (PDF) Lismore Flood Restoration Portfolio Lismore Precinct Planning: Future use of buyback land NSW Reconstruction Authority: Resilient Homes Program, future use of buyback land Lismore Flood Risk Management Plan 2024 (PDF) Lismore 60,000 Industry Briefing at NSW Parliament House (Echo) Browns Creek pump station upgrade (Lismore App) Queensland Reconstruction Authority National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
