Cyclone shelter and flood levee boost in disaster plan
A hurricane shelter that can accommodate 800 people and stormwater restoration to mitigate the effects of a one-in-100-year flood are among the disaster resilience measures that received $200 million in federal funding.
Disaster-ready funding to make communities more resilient to severe weather events is being announced by federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain in Canberra on Monday.
$200 million will support 96 projects in every state and territory; With contributions from states, territories and other partners, the fund will increase to $350 million.
The projects were selected for the third round of the federal government’s $1 billion Disaster Ready Fund (DRF).
They aim to reduce wildfire risks, create flood protection infrastructure including hurricane shelters, increase flood resilience, and install advanced warning systems as natural disasters become more frequent and intense. “Australians are no strangers to the floods, bushfires and hurricanes that affect us every year.” In a statement, Ms McBain said:
“That is why the Albanian government established the Disaster Ready Fund, which provides funds of up to $1 billion over five years.”
Total DRF investment in the third round has reached $600 million so far; $400 million has already been awarded to more than 350 projects, and 43 projects are at or near completion.
New projects include $14.2 million for the Narrandera Urban Stormwater Remediation in NSW to mitigate the effects of a once-in-a-100-year flood, and $14.6 million for an 800-person cyclone shelter on Palm Island in Queensland.
Other approved projects include $6.5 million to build two ring dykes as part of the Numurkah Flood Mitigation plan in Victoria and $1.6 million to build the flood resilience of Wakefield in South Australia.
