Michael is joined by Dr Chas Keys, Former deputy director-general of the NSW State Emergency Service, who asks the question of what it will take for governments to take the sort of action that is needed to rein in the flood threat in NSW?

“With the dreadful flooding of Lismore and other parts of the Northern Rivers in February and March now followed by the third major flood on the Hawkesbury-Nepean river system within the past 16 months, the time has arrived for seriously rethinking how we deal with flooding”, say Dr Keys.

“If we are to address the problem at its base, we must examine our land-development processes and regulations. Two approaches are available.  We can buy out past development mistakes, and we can prevent such mistakes being perpetuated further. Both will be hugely expensive.”

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