$119 million flood recovery package for northern and central Queensland

A new $119.1 million recovery and resilience package will be jointly funded by the Albanese and Miles Governments to help communities impacted by the prolonged 2023 monsoonal floods experienced across northern and central Queensland with long-term recovery.

The package will build upon previous assistance, and will support infrastructure reconstruction and long-term community, economic and environmental recovery.

• $100 million Betterment Fund to rebuild infrastructure to a more resilient standard across all impacted Local Government Areas (LGAs).
• $15 million Environment Recovery Package for environmental investigations, the clean-up and recovery of waterways, biodiversity and invasive species management, and national park recovery in Boulia Shire Council, Burke Shire Council, Carpentaria Shire Council, Cloncurry Shire Council, Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council, Mornington Shire Council and Mount Isa City Council.
• $2.2 million Human and Social Recovery Package for community recovery and resilience in Burke, Doomadgee and Carpentaria LGAs.
• $1.4 million Economic Recovery Package including tourism recovery and resilience investments, and livestock and grazing land recovery.

The package is funded under Category C and D of the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

It follows a range of disaster assistance already provided by the Albanese and Miles Governments after the event, including:

• Financial support for all impacted Councils to undertake clean up and road, bridge and footpath repairs.
• Local Recovery and Resilience Grants for the most heavily impacted north-west Queensland councils - Boulia Shire Council, Burke Shire Council, Carpentaria Shire Council and Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council ($4.25 million total).
• $6 million in recovery grants for impacted primary producers, small business and not-for-profits in 7 of the hardest-hit regions.
• $5.75 million specialised livestock support and disposal program.
• $1 million towards community mental health and wellbeing services in Boulia Shire Council, Burke Shire Council, Carpentaria Shire Council, Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council and Mount Isa City Council.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt:

“This support will help the North West to recover long-term and be more resilient when we face future natural disasters.

“Considering many of impacted areas were also hit by the 2019 Monsoon event, investment in Betterment - ensuring infrastructure is built back to a more resilient standard - is crucial to better protecting these disaster-prone regions in the future.

“I hope today’s announcement shows communities we are with them well-after the flood waters recede, and will keep working with the Queensland Government, local councils, and community leaders to ensure northern and central Queenslanders receive the support they need to rebuild and recover from these events.”

Quotes attributable to Queensland Premier Steven Miles:

“This monsoon event was intense, widespread and prolonged, causing significant damage across large parts of Queensland,” Mr Miles said.

“Travelling to the north-west last April, I saw firsthand the impact flooding had on some of our most remote communities, and the need for long-term investment in stronger infrastructure.

“Our regional transport network was particularly battered, further isolating what are already some of our most remote communities.

“That’s why we’re making a $100 million investment in Betterment projects for impacted communities, to ensure these Queenslanders are reconnected sooner when future disasters strike.

Quotes attributable to Minister Nikki Boyd:

“For more than a decade, Queensland Betterment Funds have demonstrated time and again that upfront investment in resilient infrastructure provides greater safeguards for communities and saves hundreds of millions of dollars in reconstruction works,” she said.

“Our government will continue working closely with the Commonwealth to create a safer, stronger and more resilient Queensland.”

Further information:

The $119.1 million exceptional circumstances DRFA funding includes:

1. • $100 million Betterment Fund:
     • Available to all 45 local government areas that were disaster declared at the time, and the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads to improve the resilience of essential public assets like roads and bridges damaged as a direct result of the monsoon and flooding event.

A full list of impacted regions is available here: Activations | Queensland Reconstruction Authority (qra.qld.gov.au)

2. • $15 million Environmental Recovery Package:
     • $6.5 million Healthy Waters Clean-up and Recovery Program that will see the removal of flood debris from impacted waterways and coastlines
     • $3.5 million Biodiversity and Invasive Species Management Program, providing grants to undertake pest and weed management projects
     • $3.5 million National Park Recovery Program to manage impacts and threats to the iconic national parks and World Heritage areas in Queensland’s north-west
     • $1.5 million Environmental Investigations Program that supports data collection and stakeholder engagement

Available to Boulia Shire Council, Burke Shire Council, Carpentaria Shire Council, Cloncurry Shire Council, Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council, Mornington Shire Council and Mount Isa City Council.

3. • $2.2 million Human and Social Recovery Package:
     • Supporting Community Recovery and Resilience Officers (CRRO) in Burke, Doomadgee and Carpentaria LGAs
   • $1.4 million Economic Recovery Package:
     • $1.15 million Tourism Recovery and Resilience Program, which will fund a regional destination marketing campaign and tourism recovery officers.
     • $250,000 Livestock and Grazing Recovery Program to engage a beef extension officer to support primary producers with animal welfare and land management.
   • $500,000 for monitoring and evaluation

ENDS