The interim administrator of a New South Wales council says it "inappropriately" allocated state bushfire recovery funds to a project unaffected by fire after dozens of homes in the shire were destroyed during the Black Summer disaster. Viv May said the council "inappropriately" used almost half of a $250k state grant to bolster "niche" businesses unaffected by fire. During a …
When a bushfire destroyed Bob and Wendy Palmer's holiday house in the NSW Southern Tablelands on New Year's Eve, they were determined to rebuild. Wingecarribee Shire Council Mayor Duncan Gair said reopening the road would cost between $4 million and $8 million — a price tag that was "totally impossible" for his municipality. "It's going to be up to the …