The Australian Government is reducing the risk and minimising the impact to communities of large-scale natural disasters like floods, bushfires and cyclones across Far North Queensland by investing $6.2 million to fund six projects under the Preparing Australian Communities Program.
The Preparing Australian Communities Program is an investment by the Australian Government of $600 million over six years to build the nation’s resilience to natural disasters.
Cairns Regional Council will receive $1,175,000 towards flood mitigation projects that will reduce flooding risk and increase community resilience in local catchments across Cairns.
Dabu Jajikal Aboriginal Corporation will receive $370,450 towards projects designed to increase the resilience and capacity of the community to prepare, respond and recover from cyclones.
Unganco Pty Ltd will receive $4,454,000 towards to develop a comprehensive assessment and management system for Cape York community infrastructure at risk of cyclones.
The communities involved include Aurukun Aboriginal Shire Council, Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council, Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council, Naprnuum Aboriginal Shire Council, Pormparaaw Aboriginal Shire Council, Mornington Shire Council, Weipa Town Authority, Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council and the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council.
This project is supported by the Torres Cape Indigenous Council Alliance and Cook Shire Council.
The project office will be established in Cooktown to allow ready access for each community.
Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council will receive $96,500 towards the establishment of a Resilience Base to provide a central place for emergency preparation, response and recovery activities as well as community engagement to promote understanding of risk and potential impacts.
Queensland Remote Aboriginal Media Aboriginal Corporation will receive $98,230 towards its Cyclone Communications Project.
The project will ensure more than 16 remote indigenous communities in Far North Queensland have access to reliable communications infrastructure to ensure their risk during cyclone periods is minimised, they are well-prepared for cyclones, and that they have access to reliable information after cyclones.
The Torres Shire Council will receive $98,500 towards Climate Adaptation and Resilience Planning in the Torres Strait.
Federal Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said the program is funding projects identified locally to improve the resilience of communities in the social, economic, natural or built environments.
“We know communities are best placed to understand their unique needs and how they can best improve their resilience and reduce their level of risk to natural disasters,” Mr Entsch said.
“Disasters currently cost Australian taxpayers $18.2 billion per year and this has been forecast to rise to $39 billion per year by 2050.
“I look forward to working with the successful recipients to ensure our region is better prepared for natural disasters in the future.”
The Australian Government, in delivering this program, is not only increasing disaster preparedness and resilience, but also reducing the cost in time and money of recovery following future disasters.
There are three streams of the Preparing Australia Program:
- Preparing Australian Communities Program for projects of local significance (Communities Local program) – focussed on public risk reduction.
- Preparing Australian Communities Program for projects of National Significance – focussed on public risk reduction.
- Preparing Australian Homes Program – focussed on private risk reduction.
Further information, including a full list of projects funded under Round One of the Preparing Australian Communities Program – Local stream, can be found at: www.recovery.gov.au/disaster-risk-reduction/preparing-australia-program
