The Commonwealth and Queensland Governments have established a $20 million fund to strengthen key infrastructure to better withstand natural disasters.
Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said the betterment fund marked a major change in how Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) were delivered in Queensland and would be available in 47 local government areas impacted in the 2020-21 disaster season.
“With the establishment of this betterment fund, the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments are utilising DRFA efficiencies to make damaged public infrastructure more resilient to future disasters,” Minister McKenzie said.
“Last season, Queensland communities were hit by 11 natural disaster events, nine of which resulted in damage to essential public assets, including bushfires, hailstorms, cyclones and flooding.
“The funding will allow applicable councils and state agencies to improve key assets such as causeways, culverts, roads, bridges and floodways.”
Queensland Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Steven Miles said Queensland leads the nation in building resilience in its communities through betterment programs.
“Queensland has been impacted by close to 90 disasters in the past decade. Queenslanders are rightly renowned for our ability to respond and recover from natural disasters,” Mr Miles said.
“More than 480 projects across Queensland have been approved with a value of more than $240 million since the first betterment fund was established in 2013.
“Over 330 of those projects have been impacted again by a subsequent natural disaster event, and all have remained undamaged or suffered only minor or superficial impacts.
“More than $250 million in reconstruction costs have been avoided.
“Queensland’s experience in recovery shows that an upfront investment in rebuilding impacted assets to be more resilient saves money for all levels of government in future disasters.”
Since 2013, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) has administered four betterment programs jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments, through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) and the DRFA, which were established after significant events in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
The betterment fund will be administered by the QRA. Eligible local councils and state agencies are requested to apply for betterment funding along with their restoration funding submissions to QRA.
