Cyclone Seroja State recovery controller says ‘considerable progress’ to be seen in next 18 months

Communities devastated by cyclone Seroja should see “considerable progress” in their rebuild over the next 18 months, according to State recovery controller Melissa Pexton.

It has already been 18 months since Seroja tore through the Mid West in April 2021, and Mrs Pexton’s original estimate of at least a two-year rebuild has blown out because of labour shortages and supply issues.

Mrs Pexton was in the Mid West when the State Government on Tuesday announced a 12-month extension to relief grants. Now applicants have until June 30, 2023 to submit an application and June 30, 2024 to finish the works. Recovery and resilience grant applicants can now opt to have the reimbursement sent directly to the builder.

Relief grants barely distributed since the devastation of cyclone Seroja were due to expire, while most applicants lost hope in finalising construction due to WA labour shortages.

Shadow emergency services minister Martin Aldridge welcomed the extended timeline, but said it did little for families yet to rebuild.

He said although construction delays were well-recognised, the State Government had done little to incentivise contractors to the region.

“Extending the time frame for grants applications alone does little to help families who have now gone through a second winter without a roof over their heads,” he said.

“Kalbarri is still awaiting key worker accommodation, which the McGowan Labor Government has dragged their heels on, despite calls from local governments, the tourism industry and hospitality sectors for well over a year.”

Mr Aldridge said the full $104.5 million disaster recovery funding should be delivered to communities recovering from the cyclone.

After visiting Northampton Shire on Monday, Mrs Pexton said speeding up the process would be a challenge, but noticed a shift in sentiment and hope in the cyclone-affected community.

She said there were three factors contributing to a slow process: individual readiness, workforce shortages and being underinsured.

“There’s a whole raft of things you have to do after an emergency — and while there is some financial relief that comes from the grant — it is another job you have to do,” she said.

“Individuals have not been ready themselves to go through that process.

“We’ve had some challenges with workers, accessing builders, and the cost associated with repair and construction at the moment.”

Mrs Pexton said challenges with insurance included lack of communication and policies not covering full damage costs.

“If you can appreciate that if you end up being left under insured for what it’s going to cost to repair or reconstruct, then that becomes a decision point,” she said.

“These houses are older in nature, so you need to ensure you’re insured for the cost that it would take to reconstruct your home, not just the current market value.”

Mrs Pexton said the scale of the emergency meant the process would take longer than anticipated, but was hopeful there would be “considerable progress” in the next 18 months — between now and the cyclone’s three-year anniversary.

“The reality of this situation I think is that as the borders open, we’re beginning to see workers return to the Mid West,” she said.

“If we continue to see the progress that we’re only now starting to see, I think there will be some considerable inroads, to those people who have really been waiting.”

The Construction Training Fund offers a disaster recovery construction training grant, providing support to employers and apprentices involved in the rebuilding process.