Resilience NSW is set to be scrapped and its commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons stood down as the state government overhauls its emergency response network.

Fitzsimmons, previously the commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service and NSW Australian of the Year in 2020, will be stood down from his role as commissioner of Resilience NSW.

Resilience NSW is an agency set up after the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires to coordinate emergency services and their disaster management.

Resilience NSW Shane Fitzsimmons speaking at the Upper House estimates committee at New South Wales State Parliament in Sydney, Wednesday, 6 April 2022.
Resilience NSW Shane Fitzsimmons speaking at the Upper House estimates committee at NSW parliament in April. (Sam Mooy)

The agency has a $750 million budget.

Following the floods which devastated northern NSW earlier this year, an inquiry was launched to investigate the response to and recovery from the catastrophic event.

Accusations were levelled at Resilience NSW for “dropping the ball” during their flood response and that there was confusion about who was in charge between the multiple emergency agencies.

“Is Resilience NSW just in its infancy or is it a failed experiment?” Banasiak asked.

Houses are surrounded by floodwater in Lismore, Australia.
The inquiry was launched following the devastating 2022 Lismore floods. (Dan Peled/Getty Images)

9News reporter Chris O’Keefe said the inquiry’s report found the state’s disaster response needs to be restructured, starting with dismantling Resilience NSW – meaning Fitzsimmons is out of a job.

O’Keefe also said the report found police should be given a far greater role in responding to natural disasters.

The NSW premier is expected to address the changes later on Thursday.

Devastating deluge impacts two states

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