Regional Qld to receive monsoon assistance

The support has been made available for regions affected by monsoon events during December and January, provided by the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The assistance will go towards councils in the repairs of roads and other essential public infrastructure, along with covering costs of counter disaster operations such as evacuation centres.

The 14 local government areas (LGAs) activated for assistance are:

• Barcaldine
• Boulia
• Carpentaria
• Cook
• Croydon
• Diamantina
• Etheridge
• Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire
• Mapoon Aboriginal Shire
• Mornington
• Napranum Aboriginal Shire
• Northern Peninsula Area
• Palm Island Aboriginal Shire
• Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire

Minister for Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Mark Ryan, said protecting and supporting the state’s citizens remains as the government’s top priority.

“This assistance will alleviate stress and go to local councils to allow them to get on with their recovery efforts,” Mr Ryan said.

“Local councils across the region are working closely with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to identify where assistance is needed, particularly to repair vital infrastructure as quickly as possible.

“All levels of government will continue to work together to support regional communities as local governments progress their requests for funding assistance.”

Acting federal Minister for Emergency Management, Catherine King, stated: “The Albanese and Palaszczuk Governments always work closely together to support disaster-affected communities, and this cooperation is even more important during a severe weather event, so that help can be delivered fast.”

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers revealed that floods and other natural disasters have cost the Australian economy $5 billion and have impacted two-thirds of Australians.

According to a National Emergency Management Agency analysis, 68 per cent of Australians live in an LGA that was subjected to a natural disaster declaration during 2022.

Mr Chalmers said the $5 billion does not begin to capture the “full human cost”, community cost, and the cost to infrastructure needs.

He further stated that natural disasters will put more pressure on the economy in 2023, with disaster funding playing a crucial role in the Labor government’s May budget.

“We’ve put that number out there really just as a reminder that even though we are rightly focused on the human cost of these natural disasters, which are becoming more and more frequent, there is a cost to the economy as well and a cost to the budget,” the Treasurer said.

“When almost seven in every 10 Australians lived in a disaster‑impacted area in 2022, that gives you a sense of the size and scale of the challenge that we’re up against.”

[RELATED: Australia’s economy “vulnerable” to disaster, Treasurer warns]