The Federal Government’s additional aid package has been welcomed by councils in the state’s flooded North West. The Feds have committed another $91.8 million to support disaster recovery and resilience.
North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils chair Jack Bawden says the region has suffered more than its fair share of natural disasters in recent years.
Mr Bawden says the funding is crucial.
He says the region’s councils are ready to get stuck into projects that will make their communities and businesses safe.
“This funding gives us the ability to make some real resilience gains and the potential to make bigger things happen.”
Mr Bawden says a recent board meeting included talks with representatives from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, confirming funding arrangements and details on the development of priorities and program delivery.
The new Federal Government funding covers three initiatives to support eligible communities and primary producers.
They include an $84.8m North Queensland Resilience Program; $5m Restocking and On-farm Infrastructure Grants Program and $2m for an On-farm Resilience Study.
The new funding is on top of the $119.1 million package announced last month to help communities following the 2023 monsoonal floods experienced across northern and central Queensland.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology says Ex-Tropical Cyclone “Lincoln” is currently located in the Kimberly region of Western Australia and is extending a trough along the west coast of Australia, generating thick convective cloud over large parts of northern Australia.
In its latest advice teh Bureau said A trough parallel to the New South Wales coast remains offshore and is triggering thunderstorms and showers in the area. An upper level trough is creating widespread convection and mid to upper cloud over inland Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.