Federal Government Lets Queensland Down

The Federal Government today announced less than half the amount of money Queensland needs to get back on its feet after the floods.

Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli said the Queensland Government had asked the Federal Government to match the $140 million for flood security and resilience as a minimum to help recover.

“The large portion of that money, $100 million, would have been spent on betterment or improving infrastructure, with $40 million to go to mitigation,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“Combined with our funds, that would have given us $280 million total, but instead the Federal Government’s big flood announcement was only $57 million.

“At the same time, Julia Gillard announced $50 million for just one dam in Western Sydney.

“The cynic in me thinks these funds are more about stemming the flood of votes from Western Sydney than helping Queensland stem the floodwaters that have devastated our communities.  

“The $57 million Federal money announced today is divided into $40 million for betterment, $7 million for Roma, and $10 million for Ipswich, and the Federal Government has attached many conditions to the offer.

“One of the most disappointing is that the $40 million betterment fund applies only to council assets.

“In many cases, the top priority for the council is to rebuild important state arterial roads that send the community into gridlock when they are destroyed.

“The Federal Government should be falling over itself to grab Queensland’s offer of a 50-50 split for betterment projects because the current model sees them paying three-quarters of the bill to rebuild time and time again.

“I understand it costs more upfront, but it will prevent the mind-numbingly stupid current model that continues to replace things like for like.

“Queensland needs $100 million more from the Federal Government to match our $100 million, to make us more resilient and better protected.

“Someone has to stop communities facing the same issues every time it floods, and the time is now for the Federal Government to help us achieve that.”

[ENDS] 28 February 2013

Media Contact: Monica Rostron 0409 126 332

                         Andrew Longmire 0418 216 627