Joint media release with the Hon Tony Burke MP, the Hon Madeleine King MP, and the Hon Stephen Dawson MLC
Public housing tenants and private homeowners will get help to carry out repairs to make homes safer and more flood-resilient, through two programs jointly funded by the Albanese and Cook Governments.
Through Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), the first program will see Kimberley public housing residences damaged by the flooding associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie at the start of the year rebuilt to a more resilient standard.
Works may include raising the houses above flood levels, treating cavity walls against mould outbreaks, replacing wall linings and floors with resilient materials, raising the height of electrical outlets and installing water-resistant cabinetry.
This program will also support the immediate repairs of the flood-damaged community access roads, opening them up to allow construction work to commence as soon as possible.
A second program will provide grant funding of up to $50,000 to eligible private homeowners to assist with out-of-pocket costs related to repairs and resilience works on homes damaged by Tropical Cyclone Ilsa in April and the flooding associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie.
Under this program, two types of grants will be made available:
- Recovery Grants will reimburse eligible private homeowners who incurred clean-up and repair costs
- Resilience Grants will reimburse eligible private homeowners for the costs of specified upgrades to increase the resilience of their properties.
Federal Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King said the two programs would provide those living in areas at higher risk of flooding some peace of mind.
“Six months on from ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie, and two months on from Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, we are continuing to work very closely with the Cook Government to ensure those continuing to recover can minimise the impact and risks of future events on their homes,” Minister King said.
“This is just one aspect of a suite of resilience pathways that we will continue to collaborate on to ensure communities can take the steps they need to recover and build resilience from extreme weather events now and into the future.”
Western Australian Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson said it was important to incorporate resilience measures into recovery programs to better protect communities into the future.
“Both ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie’s associated flooding and Tropical Cyclone Ilsa caused significant damage to communities, including people’s homes, and we recognise the benefits of helping people rebuild or repair their homes to a more resilient standard,” Minister Dawson said.
“This jointly funded program provides important support to help impacted communities make their homes more resilient to future natural disasters and contribute to a greater peace of mind in the advent of a severe weather event.”
The Western Australian Government will prioritise local employment, training and economic development opportunities as part of the three-year program of works.
The support is in addition to more temporary housing for displaced residents and workers, and recovery grants for farmers, small and medium-sized businesses, also announced today. For more information, visit Kimberley Floods Recovery Information.
