Budget 2020: Delivering for Christmas Island

The Australian Government is prioritising the health and safety of the Christmas Island community, committing $28.9 million over three years from 2020-21, to manage the risks of storm water, flooding, landslide and rockfall in two popular local areas.

This critical funding will support essential upgrades to the storm water system in Drumsite and ongoing replacement of the rockfall fences across Flying Fish Cove, ensuring that anyone who lives, works or visits the Island is safeguarded by fit-for-purpose infrastructure.

Our Government understands that as border restrictions gradually ease, we want and need tourists from across Australia to safely return to Christmas Island, providing essential stimulus to the local economy and supporting jobs on the ground. Our commitment to funding these crucial infrastructure upgrades provides certainty to the community and tourists that Christmas Island remains a safe and popular travel location of choice.

The Budget 2020 measures for Christmas Island, combined with the suite of vital services and program we are continuing to deliver, complement the $8 million I previously announced to get shovels in the ground on priority community projects across Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands – ensuring jobs and stimulus are created when and where they are needed most. Work on these is already under way.

In this Budget, our focus for Christmas Island is on rolling out projects and programs that make a tangible and long-term difference to the community, supporting them not only through the COVID-19 pandemic, but into the future through targeted, sustainable economic measures.

That is why, as part of our broader $134.4 million investment in the Indian Ocean Territories for the financial year 2020-21, we are delivering programs to support the long-term, sustainable growth of Christmas Island – working with the Western Australian Government for the ongoing delivery of essential services and community initiatives that capitalise on the unique environment, community and culture of Christmas Island, and the Indian Ocean Territories region.

For full details, visit www.infrastructure.gov.au.

/Public Release. View in full here.