An emergency services hub in the Eurobodalla region is one step closer with a new State Emergency Service (SES) headquarters the first building planned for the site at 2876 Princes Highway, Moruya.
The Eurobodalla Regional Co-located Emergency Services Precinct will bring a range of agencies together under one roof to ensure the community is better prepared and protected from future natural disasters.
Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips said choosing a suitable site, working with stakeholders and co-ordinating the complex requirements of numerous agencies took time, and meant the precinct would provide the best outcome for the community.
“The NSW State Government, Eurobodalla Shire Council, RFS, SES and Marine Rescue have been working together to progress the Eurobodalla Regional Co-located Emergency Services Precinct, with the site secured and planning well underway,” Mrs Phillips said.
She said claims the precinct had not progressed were “misleading for a community that was still recovering from the Black Summer Bushfires”.
“I know first-hand just how important this facility is for Eurobodalla residents,” Mrs Phillips said.
“Which is why I lobbied for a $5 million federal election commitment which was delivered in Labor’s 2022 Federal Budget, unlike the previous government that made no federal funding commitment.”
“When Andrew Constance was the State Member he made no commitment to this facility and, if it was up to him, it would not even be on the agenda.”
Mrs Phillips said, following negotiations between the parties on how best to progress the Eurobodalla Regional Co-located Services Precinct, the $5 million federal funding agreement for the project was executed on 13 August 2024 enabling it to proceed on the highway site purchased by Eurobodalla Shire Council in 2023.
“The first stage is for the construction of a new standalone SES on the Eurobodalla Regional Co-located Emergency Services Precinct site which will allow the move of the SES from the existing facility to the new co-located precinct, as well as providing ground work for other elements including an Emergency Operations Centre and training facilities,” she added.
The co-located facility with appropriate technologies, facilities and support systems, is best practice and aligns with recommendations from the Commonwealth Royal Commission, and the NSW Bushfire Inquiry.
The brand new purpose-built precinct would house multiple services including the RFS, NSW Ambulance, NSW Fire and Rescue, Marine Rescue and SES.
“Having emergency services in one place means better communication, bolstered resilience and coordinated response in times of emergencies, including fires, floods and storms,” Mrs Phillips said.
“I understand how important it is to have our emergency services connected, which is why I have delivered federal funding and continue to work in a productive way with all stakeholders to ensure the delivery of this much needed precinct.”
Media contact: Katrina Condie 0437 662 967
