The Mayor of Lismore in northern NSW has urged the state government to release a flood inquiry report after hearing unconfirmed leaks from the media and nothing from the government.
The ABC understands the state government has received a $3 billion recovery cost estimate within the findings of a 700-page independent flood report it commissioned to investigate the preparation for, cause of and response to the crisis.
Other recommendations include offering buybacks and land swaps, the rebuilding of assets, and economic measures.
Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg said he was frustrated the government had not publicly released the findings.
"I read the information in the paper today, but I've had no direct information from the government at all," Mr Krieg said.
"It would be nice to get a bit of an update and a briefing. What people in Lismore really need now is hope and certainty, and at the moment we don't have any of those."
Northern Lismore resident Jesse Perkins also felt the lack of certainty meant that people did not know whether to continue rebuilding their houses or wait.
He was also concerned about how long it was taking for the government to make decisions.
"If you look at Queensland, they're already getting buybacks going ahead, New South Wales seems to be taking forever to do anything," he said.
"The problem is that there are so many rumours and not much truth out there, are we rebuilding for no purpose and spending more money when we should have done nothing?
"[There's] such a shortage of housing with so many people having to sit and wait for some unknown which may not help us in the end at all."
About 4,000 homes were damaged by flooding in February and March.
It is understood the government will seek funding from the Commonwealth to help with rebuilding and disaster proofing of communities.
NSW Labor said it was an encouraging first sign but wanted more detail on whether the federal government had been made aware.
"If there hasn't been conversations or negotiations between [NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet] and the Prime Minister that should happen before an announcement is being made," Labor leader Chris Minns said.
"Those communities have gone through so much over the last six months they need certainty, not another media release."
The inquiry's recommendations, led by NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer Mary O'Kane and former police commissioner Mick Fuller, were handed to the Premier a week ago.
The findings will likely lead to the disbanding of the disaster agency Resilience NSW, which was heavily criticised for its response to the floods in the Northern Rivers.
The ABC understands a proposal to dismantle Resilience NSW will now be presented to cabinet.
Resilience NSW commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons, who led the government's response to the Black Summer bushfires, has not yet commented on the report or his future employment.
Mr Minns called on the Premier — for the sake of "fairness and certainty" — to immediately explain what his plans were for the emergency agency.
"We need certainty in relation to emergency management in New South Wales," he said.
"And I'm worried that a report indicating that there will be major changes is being buried by the government and information about who works and what Resilience NSW will do has not been released."
The flood inquiry report is still under review by the government.
