Published Tuesday, 04 November, 2008 at 05:30 AM
Minister for Main Roads and Local Government
The Honourable Warren Pitt
Mackay Regional Council receives $11.4 million in disaster funding
Mackay Regional Council will receive more than $11.4 million in disaster relief funding to repair damage that occurred to its local road network and vital community assets as the result of monsoonal flooding throughout Queensland in February 2008.
Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin said floodwaters had caused significant damage to the council’s road infrastructure and council property.
“The flooding that occurred across many parts of Queensland has caused considerable damage to the Mackay Regional Council’s local road network,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring that councils have the ability to repair these vital assets quickly in order to minimise disruption to the community.”
“If these assets were not repaired, there would be the potential to severely impact the community, business and livelihoods.”
“The financial burden of this natural disaster would have disadvantaged ratepayers if Mackay Regional Council was required to foot the bill.”
Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said that as a result, the State and Commonwealth governments had contributed $11,439,318, with the regional council contributing $469,000 towards the repair work.
Mr Pitt said the Mackay Regional Council had received a total of $21 million in natural disaster funding over the last two months.
“In addition to this $11.4 million, the Mackay Regional Council was recently granted more than $9.5 million in funding to repair other damaged roads within its road network,” he said.
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; Mackay Electorate Office 4957 8422
Member for Mackay Tim Mulherin said floodwaters had caused significant damage to the council’s road infrastructure and council property.
“The flooding that occurred across many parts of Queensland has caused considerable damage to the Mackay Regional Council’s local road network,” Mr Mulherin said.
“The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring that councils have the ability to repair these vital assets quickly in order to minimise disruption to the community.”
“If these assets were not repaired, there would be the potential to severely impact the community, business and livelihoods.”
“The financial burden of this natural disaster would have disadvantaged ratepayers if Mackay Regional Council was required to foot the bill.”
Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said that as a result, the State and Commonwealth governments had contributed $11,439,318, with the regional council contributing $469,000 towards the repair work.
Mr Pitt said the Mackay Regional Council had received a total of $21 million in natural disaster funding over the last two months.
“In addition to this $11.4 million, the Mackay Regional Council was recently granted more than $9.5 million in funding to repair other damaged roads within its road network,” he said.
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; Mackay Electorate Office 4957 8422