Backpackers Occupy Flood-Hit Lismore Homes, Demand Permanent Stay

Overseas backpackers and itinerant workers have taken over flood-affected houses in Lismore, New South Wales, initially included in a government buyback program following the 2022 floods. These squatters, forming a community after the Rainbow Gathering festival in Tasmania, found the vacant homes and began occupying them.

Despite their demands to remain in the homes, the government offers alternative accommodations through the Resilient Homes buyback program, intending to relocate or demolish the unoccupied properties. Local group Reclaim Our Recovery supports the squatters, advocating for homeless individuals and highlighting housing issues in the region.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority, collaborating with NSW Police, is encouraging voluntary departure from the squatted houses, offering alternate housing solutions. However, some squatters have refused these offers, complicating the situation further.

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Article Title: Backpackers demand right to squat in flood-affected Lismore houses
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