Published Tuesday, 16 September, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Southern Downs council receives $5 million in disaster funding
Southern Downs Regional Council will receive almost $5 million in funding to repair damage to its road network as the result of flooding during December 2007 and January 2008.
Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said the floodwaters had caused significant subsidence, resulting in damage to the council’s road infrastructure.
“The flooding that occurred across many parts of Queensland last summer caused considerable damage to the Southern Downs Regional Council’s local road network,” Mr Pitt said.
“All up, there were 175 individual projects requiring repairs in the former Warwick Shire Council area.
“With such a massive repair effort required, it’s important that communities have the resources to fix these problems in a timely manner.
“This natural disaster could have severely disadvantaged ratepayers if Southern Downs Regional Council was required to cover this financial burden alone.
“As a result, the State and Commonwealth governments have contributed $4,955,327 to the repair works, with the regional council contributing $169,000.
“This funding means that the impacts of flood damage on regional communities, businesses and local infrastructure is minimised.”
The latest funding allocation comes on top of the $2,015,426 provided to the regional council last month for disaster relief works undertaken in the former Stanthorpe shire.
Mr Pitt said the funding was provided through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements program, a joint State and Commonwealth initiative.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819
Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said the floodwaters had caused significant subsidence, resulting in damage to the council’s road infrastructure.
“The flooding that occurred across many parts of Queensland last summer caused considerable damage to the Southern Downs Regional Council’s local road network,” Mr Pitt said.
“All up, there were 175 individual projects requiring repairs in the former Warwick Shire Council area.
“With such a massive repair effort required, it’s important that communities have the resources to fix these problems in a timely manner.
“This natural disaster could have severely disadvantaged ratepayers if Southern Downs Regional Council was required to cover this financial burden alone.
“As a result, the State and Commonwealth governments have contributed $4,955,327 to the repair works, with the regional council contributing $169,000.
“This funding means that the impacts of flood damage on regional communities, businesses and local infrastructure is minimised.”
The latest funding allocation comes on top of the $2,015,426 provided to the regional council last month for disaster relief works undertaken in the former Stanthorpe shire.
Mr Pitt said the funding was provided through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements program, a joint State and Commonwealth initiative.
Media contact: Minister Pitt’s Office 3227 8819