The NSW Government and the Commonwealth are covering the clean-up cost of insured and uninsured residential properties destroyed by bush fire across NSW, as well as eligible commercial properties.
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The NSW Government has appointed Laing O'Rourke Australia to manage the NSW bush fire recovery clean-up, working with Public Works Advisory. Local contractors and local suppliers will be engaged, where possible, to deliver clean-up services in communities.
Delivering these services means impacted property owners will not have to pay for debris, including potentially hazardous materials, to be removed and disposed of.
Impacted property owners who would like their property cleared need to register by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88. Registering helps deploy resources to communities and enables owners to provide consent for crews to undertake work on their property.
Clean-up timeline
We expect most residential properties will be substantially cleared by 30 June 2020. It may take longer to clean up isolated properties in remote areas and regions where there is still active fire.
Safety is the number one priority and before any clearing work begins, we need to ensure hazardous materials, such as asbestos, are identified and contained.
Clearing work will begin after properties have been made safe. Work will be undertaken simultaneously on the North Coast, South Coast, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys and other impacted communities across the State.
Laing O'Rourke will begin contacting registered property owners from early February 2020 to begin planning.
We encourage owners of destroyed properties to register for the clean-up with Service NSW on 13 77 88 as soon as possible.
Local subcontractor engagement
Laing O'Rourke will work with qualified local subcontractors and suppliers to take advantage of local knowledge and expertise, as well as provide stimulation to the local economy.
Many local subcontractors have already contacted Public Works Advisory and NSW Procurement and their details will be provided to Laing O'Rourke.
Interested subcontractors are also encouraged to register on the NSW Government bushfire supplier portal.
Unlicensed tradespeople
Beware of unlicensed tradespeople offering cheap, quick, cash-only repairs. Only licensed tradespeople can carry out any residential building work valued at more than $5000 and all specialist work, including asbestos removal, regardless of value.
Also be aware Public Works Advisory and Laing O'Rourke staff will pre-arrange any household visits and will not turn up unannounced or demand payment.
To check the licence of a NSW tradesperson, please visit http://bit.ly/NSWLicenceCheck .
Key contact details
Service NSW - register for the bushfire recovery clean-up program at on 13 77 88.
