Qld flood-stricken homes bulldozed as part of buyback scheme

Demolition has begun at six homes in Goodna that were among the first homes bought back under the jointly funded $741 million Resilient Homes Fund, delivered through Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

More than 40 Ipswich home owners have now accepted offers under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program, which included 21 already settled.

The buyback initiative was launched in the wake of the flood events in February and March 2022, which claimed dozens of lives in the state’s South-East, left thousands of Queensland properties inundated, and rendered hundreds uninhabitable.

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government, Steven Miles, said the program had enabled flood-affected home owners to move on with their lives without the risk of flooding.

“Valuations have been undertaken at over 160 homes across the city, so it is expected that more homeowners will accept these life-changing offers over the coming weeks,” Mr Miles said.

“It is a great relief to know that houses such as these Goodna properties will be demolished and the land re-zoned for non-occupied use such as parkland.”

Minister for Emergency Management, senator Murray Watt, said the demolition of Goodna homes bought back under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program represented a “significant step” in the community’s recovery.

“Last year was a challenging one for many Queenslanders who were impacted by the events of the 2021–22 disaster season,” Mr Watt said.

“Flood-affected properties bought back under the program will no longer be available for residential or commercial use.

“This will ensure that no residents will suffer from future flooding of these blocks.”

The fund was established in May 2022 following the catastrophic 2021–22 rainfall and flooding events.

Mr Watt said the fund aims to make homes impacted by flooding more resilient or remove them from harm’s way.

The mayor of Ipswich, Teresa Harding, explained once the property had been purchased by council and settlement finalised, all utility services to the property were removed and structures could be demolished in due course, with the land rezoned for non-habitable uses.

“Valuations are continuing across Ipswich in the suburbs of Basin Pocket, Bundamba, Churchill, East Ipswich, Goodna, Karalee, Moores Pocket, North Booval, North Ipswich, One Mile, Sadliers Crossing, Tivoli, West Ipswich and Wulkuraka,” Ms Harding said.

More than 5,700 home owners have now registered for the Resilient Homes Fund, which remains open for Queensland home owners affected by the floods of 2021–22.

Queensland’s resilience program offers three options to flood-affected home owners: retrofitting, house raising, or voluntary home buyback.

Under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back Program, which is overseen by Queensland Reconstruction Authority, eligible home owners are offered two valuations — one pre-flood and one post-flood — and can accept the highest of the two valuations to ensure they receive a fair price for their home.

NSW government pledges home buyback scheme

Meanwhile, the NSW government has pledged 2,000 flood-prone home owners on the NSW North Coast would be eligible to apply to have their home repaired, retrofit, or bought back under a similar $800 million scheme.

Announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet in Lismore on Friday (28 October), the Northern Rivers Resilient Homes Fund package aims to support residential homeowners impacted by the devastating flooding in February-March of this year — one of the costliest extreme weather events in Australian history.

[Related: Buy back scheme announced for northern rivers]