Review of the operations of the NSW Reconstruction Authority

Review of the operations of the NSW Reconstruction Authority

Communication and community engagement

34

engaged mental health clinicians in the centres in line with its service delivery

plan.214 The Committee was pleased to hear that the Authority is now 'talking to

Lifeline about progressing a partnership agreement'.215

3.88 The NSW Disaster Recovery Chaplaincy Network argued that 'there is an endemic

lack of recognition and underfunding' to address psychosocial impacts in disaster

recovery and planning, and that funding is 'heavily favoured towards

infrastructure and economic outcomes' instead.

216 Lifeline Australia reflected

similar concerns and recommended the incorporation of emotional wellbeing

services as an integral part of disaster planning and recovery to ensure adequate

and sustained funding of trauma-informed support.

217 This broader funding issue

is further considered in Chapter Five.

3.89 The Committee also considers that psychosocial wellbeing must be treated as a

core component of disaster recovery. The evidence received during this inquiry

demonstrates that the mental health consequences of successive disasters are

serious, endemic and long-lasting, and that relevant services should be

adequately resourced to support impacted communities during the 'long-tail' of

disaster recovery.

214 Ms Ashlee Abbott, Transcript of Evidence, 20 February 2026, p 29.

215 Mrs Susie George, Transcript of Evidence, 20 February 2026, p 30.

216 Submission 22, pp 2, 5.

217 Submission 21, p 4.