Building a resilient Queensland spirit: stronger, safer, more affordable regional homes

• $20 million Federal Albanese Government boost for Queensland’s Household Resilience Program
• Builds on Palaszczuk Government’s $50 million of investment in the program to date
• Up to 1,100 additional low-income homes in North and Central Queensland to be safer and more secure
• Reduces insurance premiums by building resilience to natural disasters, especially cyclones and severe storms
• First funding announcement from Albanese Government’s new Disaster Ready Fund

More Queenslanders will be eligible for assistance to make their homes stronger and safer in a much-welcome boost to a popular program helping to protect low-income homeowners in cyclone-prone coastal communities.

The Household Resilience Program, first launched by the Palaszczuk Government in 2018, has already assisted more than 4,300 vulnerable households to strengthen homes built before 1984, to better withstand extreme weather..

The program also has a proven record of success in lowering insurance premiums with the most recent data reported from homeowners showing approved works achieved an average reduction of 10.3 per cent.

Now, thanks to a new $20 million funding boost from the Albanese Government, the program will be extended by up to three years, so even more families can apply.
It is expected the new funding will enable resilience works for up to 1,100 more homes. 

Eligible works include roof, garage door and house frame upgrades and replacements, roof structural strengthening using external over-batten tiedowns as well as window protection measures such as cyclone shutters or screens.

Low-income Queenslanders who own older homes within 50km of the coast from Bundaberg north to the Northern Territory border are encouraged to consider applying while funding is still available.

Quotes attributable to Federal Treasurer, Jim Chalmers:

“Building more resilient homes is the key to building stronger communities in north Queensland.

“This boost will help more people to put protections in place to limit the damage when storm season rolls around.

“Disaster response and recovery is important but if we can make homes more resilient and resistant to the kind of wild weather which has become more frequent in these parts in recent years, Queenslanders will be much better off. 

“Our budget delivers for regional Queensland, with cost-of-living relief like cheaper medicines, energy rebates and more bulk billing along with substantial investments in the future, like the Household Resilience Program. 

“This initiative ticks all the boxes – good for the economy, good for the budget and great for the community.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt:

“This is the first funding announcement from the Albanese Government’s new Disaster Ready Fund, and we’re committed to ensuring Queenslanders are better prepared and better protected for future natural disasters.

“Reports show Australia spends far more on disaster recovery than it does on preparing for disasters, and that mindset needs to change.

“By making homes more resilient, we can help to reduce the impacts of future disasters, while bringing down insurance costs in the meantime.

“Insurance affordability is a key issue for the Albanese Government because families are really feeling the pinch of cost-of-living pressures, especially in cyclone-probe regions where premiums can be as high as 50 per cent more than they are in Brisbane.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk:

“Queensland is affected by more natural disasters than anywhere else in Australia – in fact we’ve been impacted by over 100 major events since 2011, causing more than $22 billion in damage.

“Many of the 4,311 low-income households we’ve already helped through the first three phases of our Household Resilience Program are aged over 55 – in fact a third are aged over 65 – and up to 10 per cent of all applicants are uninsured.

“Fortunately, most insurers do offer discounts for policyholders who make their homes more resilient – it’s common sense to reward people for reducing the risks and the costs of future claims.

“I’d like to reassure all Queenslanders that my government is committed to reducing their cost of living and we will be announcing further measures in the State Budget on 13 June.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles:

“With climate change making disasters more frequent and more extreme, our aim is to make Queensland the most disaster-resilient state in Australia, so we are taking real action to minimise the devastating impacts of floods, fires, cyclones, storms, severe tides, and hail.

“Research shows there are over 110,000 privately owned homes in cyclone-prone parts of Queensland built prior to 1980 when tougher building regulations were introduced, and while most have been renovated already too many remain at risk.

“The ongoing support of the Albanese Government through a range of initiatives such as the Disaster Ready Fund is helping to improve the safety and security of Queenslanders … and it’s very welcome.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Energy and Public Works, Mick de Brenni: 

“Many homeowners helped through this program have told us they would otherwise not be able to afford to undertake these important works. Some have been able to take advantage of the low or no-interest loans available to Queenslanders to help share the cost.

“The first three phases of the Household Resilience Program have so far generated almost $78 million in approved works, and over 95 per cent of 1074 contracts awarded for works have been completed through local licensed builders, supporting over 300 fulltime local jobs.

“Contractors are paid the grant funding direct, boosting their cash flows and capacity to invest more locally, employ more staff, and boost for local economies because this money multiplies in value as it circulates through the supply chain”.

Household Resilience Program

The Household Resilience Program assists low-income owner-occupiers who live in homes built before 1984 and located within 50km of the coastline from Bundaberg to the Queensland/Northern Territory border, to undertake building works that make their homes more resilient to extreme weather, especially cyclones.

To date, the program has awarded grants to 433 applicants in the Mackay region, 878 in the Cairns region, 2015 in Townsville region as well as 338 in Rockhampton region and 647 in the Bundaberg region. 

Phase 1 was announced July 2018 with $20 million funded by the Queensland Government – 1,748 grants awarded for works totalling $29.7m. Homeowners have reported an average 8.2% reduction in insurance premiums and average works value $16,992.

Phase 2 was announced May 2020 with $21.25m co-funded by Federal ($11.25m) and Queensland ($10m) governments – 1,777 grants awarded for works totalling $31.2 million. Homeowners have reported an average 9% reduction in insurance premiums and average works value $17,561.

Phase 3 was announced June 2022 with $20m funded by Queensland Government – to date there have been 786 grants awarded to date for works totalling $16.8m. Homeowners have reported an average 10.3% reduction in insurance premiums to date and average works value of $21,374. Applications now open.

Phase 4: Announced June 2023, $20m funded by the Federal Government.

For more information on the Household Resilience Program, please visit: www.qld.gov.au/strongerhomes 

Disaster Ready Fund

The Australian Government has established the Disaster Ready Fund and will invest up to $1 billion over five years from 2023-24 to reduce risks, lower recovery costs and build community resilience to extreme weather events.

The DRF replaces the Emergency Response Fund, which terminates on 30 June 2023.

The ERF committed $50 million per year for resilience building measures. The DRF will commit up to four times that amount – up to $200 million per year – and will help shift the focus from recovery and repair to disaster prevention.

The DRF will complement, rather than duplicate, the recovery funding available under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). It will be administered by the National Emergency Management  Agency.
More information on the Disaster Ready Fund can be found on NEMA’s website.