$20m to boost infrastructure resilience in 47 Qld LGAs

The Federal and Queensland governments have established a $20 million fund to strengthen key infrastructure to better withstand natural disasters.

The funding will be available in 47 local government areas
impacted in the 2020-21 disaster season.

Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience
Minister Bridget McKenzie said the betterment fund marked a major change in how
Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) were delivered
in Queensland.

“With this fund, the Commonwealth and Queensland governments are utilising DRFA efficiencies to make damaged public infrastructure more resilient to future disasters,” Senator 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.”

The betterment fund will be administered by the Queensland
Reconstruction Authority (QRA).

Eligible local councils and state agencies are requested to apply for betterment funding along with their restoration funding submissions to QRA.