Bathurst candidates say responding to natural disasters should start with prevention

There has also been hefty costs put back on the local councils to help their communities recover.

Ahead of the NSW election, Bathurst candidates are promising to do more to safeguard the region from disasters and, should the worst occur, have support in place to help those hardest hit to bounce back.

Labor's Cameron Shaw said his priority is to be proactive to ensure there is a better response when disaster strikes.

"NSW Labor knows that more needs to be done to safe guard our communities against natural disasters," he said.

"NSW Labor called for the establishment of a Reconstruction Commission that would streamline efforts to help communities build back after natural disasters following the northern rivers flooding. The government subsequently adopted this policy. If Labor forms government, we will look to make this a fixed system to support communities all across NSW.

"Labor have also announced we will invest in world leading natural disaster detection systems to better protect communities in high-risk areas. This comes after experts on the NSW Flood Inquiry warned that current warning systems were outdated and inadequate."

Better preparation is something the only independent candidate in the field for the seat of Bathurst, Martin Ticehurst, can agree with.

"Following the 2019 major NSW Bushfires and last year's major NSW Floods, what really came out in the wash for me was that both the authorities and communities were not fully prepared for major disasters that can literally happen without any notice," he said.

"What subsequent public inquiries showed was that much more prevention and preparation is better than any financial recovery plans and mental cures.

"Overall, government prevention and preparation plans for major disasters need to be drilled down and explained to smaller and individual business, residential and farming communities so that they are well prepared when urgent major disaster type events arrive in their particular neighbourhoods."

Incumbent Paul Toole, who is once again running as the Nationals candidate, believes the current government has stepped up.

"The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is making our communities safer, stronger and more resilient to natural disasters through a record $4.2 billion investment in emergency services, which includes the delivery of more fire trucks, trained personnel, rescue equipment, enhanced communications and technology improvements," he said.

"It's important we invest in the facilities that support our emergency services and their volunteers and that is why we have announced that we are building a new SES unit for Bathurst, a new police station for Blayney, a new Rural Fire Service station for Blayney and a new Fire and Rescue station for Lithgow.

"On top of this new trucks and equipment have been rolled out to various brigades."

Mr Toole also noted that the Liberals and Nationals have committed $300 million for a Build Back Better program, which will invest in a more resilient state, regional and local road and transport infrastructure across regional NSW.

Greens candidate Kay Nankervis, who is firm believer that addressing climate change will help to prevent natural disasters, said that in the event one does occur, the NSW government needs to look after people "who do the work".

She said the Greens would "keep an eye on governments to ensure they distribute disaster relief fairly".

Mr Ticehurst, meanwhile, is calling for a disaster coordinator to be introduced to take the lead in the recovery phase.

"Depending on the type of major disaster, the federal and/or state governments need to urgently appoint a high-level commander/disaster coordinator with the overall authority to make final decisions on their particular recovery phase," he said.

"Communities and residents impacted by major disasters don't need multiple disaster agencies making their own individual decisions, they need immediate high-level single decisions that will ensure their immediate and ongoing recovery, including property and financial assistance."

Mr Shaw also wants there to be a streamlined response to help communities recover.

"We need to take the learnings from previous disasters and ensure future disasters have streamlined responses," he said.

"NSW Labor would not under any circumstances pork-barrel emergency recovery funds.

"No matter where you live, or who you vote for in NSW, your government must support you, particularly in the event of a natural disaster."

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