First Nations community leaders say they've been assured by the NSW Government that Cabbage Tree Island in the north of the state will be rebuilt.
The Indigenous community of more than 180 in the Northern Rivers region has been devastated by repeated major flooding that has rendered it inhabitable.
Most residents are living in temporary emergency accommodation in different areas, with some moved as far away as Brisbane, community workers said.
Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council chief executive Chris Binge and other community members today gave NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet a personal tour of the ravaged community.
The community of Cabbage Tree Island in northern NSW has been completely displaced following repeated floods. Source: NITV News
Afterwards, Mr Binge told NITV's The Point program he had received assurances the community would be rebuilt.
"The message has not changed from our end, the message is really clear," he said.
"Our priority is to shore up accommodation in our community in our home Country, and have those people and their families stay within these areas.
"The second part of that, obviously, is around what would be a possible rebuild. It's not a possible rebuild.
"We've got assurances today from the state premier that a rebuild for Cabbage Tree Island is definitely what we're looking at and definitely what we're going to be working towards together."
Mr Binge said the Jali Land Council was working with the Ballina Shire and State Government to ensure that people could stay on Country and are accommodated appropriately.
"Obviously we don't need another level of displacement," he said.
"After today's visit with the State Premier, we're definitely going to be working on maintaining our people in our community and our Country."
Bundjalung woman Judith Currie is worried for the future of the Cabbage Tree Island community. Source: NITV The Point
Everything lost in one night
Bundjalung woman Judith Currie has two sons who had been living on Cabbage Tree Island.
"(I'm) just wondering where they go from here," she said.
She said many people were being moved from their accommodation to make way for holiday-makers, as businesses tried to recover from the floods and the past two years of the COVID pandemic.
"A few of them are being evacuated ...for holiday makers," she said.
"I can see both sides of the story, I know the economics in the town needs to be boosted...but realistically we need to look after our locals, especially our traditional owners of this Country.
"I know they have a business and they've lost it over the past couple of years, but in just one night our community lost everything."
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet was given a tour around flood-ravaged Cabbage Tree Island by Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council and other community members. Source: NITV The Point
Community pulls together
Mr Binge said the Cabbage Tree Island community was resilient.
"This community has been one of the most well-known communities across our state if not our country, and if there's one thing that I can say in these tough times, and we've had tough times before, this community is a very strong community," he said.
"I have no doubt that this community will pull together in every way possible, and we are going to work hard to get through this.
"And we know we now know through today's meeting with the state premier that they're going to be working hand in hand with us to make sure and ensure that that happens."
For more on this story tune in to NITV's Current Affairs program The Point, Tuesdays 7.30pm or later on SBS and SBS on Demand.
