2026-09-02
The announcement of a Richmond River Coordinator by the Minns Labor Government today comes more than eight years after the Greens first called for a Richmond River Commissioner that would have responsibility for restoring the most degraded river on the NSW East Coast.
A two year trial of a Coordinator, without clear statutory authority and responsibility, risks creating a new bureaucracy without meaningfully helping the communities and environment of the Richmond River.
Greens MP, Lismore local, and spokesperson for the North Coast and environmental lawyer Sue Higginson said: “This announcement today has finally recognised the desperate need for a government authority to lead the recovery of our Richmond River, but it’s fallen well short of a genuine investment in the future that the river and our communities need,”
“When I first called for a catchment commissioner in 2018, the case had already been made that we desperately needed a statutory Richmond River Commission and Commissioner with full independence, a legislative mandate, and sustained funding to lead the long-term recovery of the river. Today’s announcement is not that,”
“There have been motions put to three Northern Rivers Councils; by Clr. Virginia Waters in Lismore, Clr. Kiri Dicker in Ballina, and Clr. Elia Hague in Byron Bay, calling for our proposed Commissioner model to be adopted. Rous County Council has passed a similar motion,”
“When I wrote to Minister Jackson last year, I made the case for what we needed years ago, but her concern was that our Commissioner would just be another layer of bureaucracy with no clear benefit for the river. I’m seriously concerned that the substance of this Coordinator announcement is exactly what she was worried would happen,”
“There are some good things in the Government’s plan, the investment in Tuckean Swamp is particularly welcome. Reconnecting and repairing our floodplain wetlands, dealing with acid sulfate soils and restoring the natural function of the catchment are some of the most important things we can do for water quality, biodiversity and the resilience of our communities,”
“There are so many people across the Northern Rivers who have worked for decades to keep the Richmond alive and to build the knowledge and projects that this announcement now draws upon, but what our community needs is an enduring institution with the legal mandate to bring Traditional Owners, governments, councils, farmers, landholders, scientists and community organisations together, with direct investment according to a clear catchment-wide strategy,” Ms Higginson said.
For media contact:
Sue Higginson - 0428 227 363