Extreme weather is part of life in the tropics. We prepare for cyclones and floods, we respond to them to protect our communities, and we rebuild from the devastation they cause.
We know first-hand how long recovery can take. Almost three years after Tropical Cyclone Jasper, impacts are still being felt across our region. Cairns relies on federal disaster funding and, with another wet season just months away, now is not the time to be taking that lifeline away.
Next week, Cairns Regional Council will lodge a submission on the Australian Government’s proposed changes to Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
For Cairns, the changes would be as devastating as natural disasters we rely on the funding to combat. They will change the ability for Cairns to recover from disasters, rebuild and invest in resilience to reduce future damage.
Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) modelling shows that, had the proposed funding model been in place since 2018, federal disaster funding to help Council rebuild would have been approximately $15.8 million lower. For Council, that could mean delaying new infrastructure, reducing investment or placing greater pressure on ratepayers.
Queensland currently receives an average federal contribution of around 64 per cent under the existing arrangements. Some categories even attract nearly 75 per cent from Canberra.
The Australian Government is proposing to replace the current funding model with a standard 50:50 cost-sharing arrangement between Canberra and the states. On the surface, it may sound fair. It’s not.
The risk of a disaster is not shared 50:50 across Australia. Queensland is Australia’s most disaster-affected state, and FNQ is at the frontline. A national disaster funding system must recognise that.
Asking state and local governments to carry more of the burden isn’t fair. The Australian Government collects around 80 per cent of Australia’s tax revenue, while councils collect about three per cent.
Shifting disaster recovery costs down the line puts greater pressure on councils and their communities.
We absolutely support making disaster funding more efficient. If there are opportunities to cut red tape and get money into communities faster, we will take them.
But efficient disaster funding means increased outcomes, not Canberra simply reducing its contribution.
The proposed 50:50 split is only part of the story. Until now, funding arrangements have allowed Queensland to allocate savings from disaster reconstruction towards making communities more resilient. This won’t continue under the new rules.
More than $700m has flowed into community initiatives to make Queensland more resilient through the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Program (QRRP).
Cairns Regional Council is pursuing funding through the QRRP for a new University No. 2 Reservoir.
Safe and reliable water supply is vital during a severe weather event, and this is exactly the kind of resilience investment in infrastructure government should be encouraging. Getting stronger before a disaster, rather than repeatedly investing to repair damage.
The Australian Government has indicated no council will be worse off under the revised framework. If true, that statement should be clear and guaranteed in the new arrangements. We need a clear “no worse off” guarantee to underpin any new disaster recovery framework.
We need the retention of betterment principles that allow damaged infrastructure to be rebuilt stronger, continued incentives for efficient reconstruction, and an equivalent replacement if the existing arrangements end. These practical measures protect communities and save money over the long term.
Disaster recovery is not only a local or state responsibility – it’s a national responsibility.
When a cyclone crosses the coast, Australians don’t expect arguments over percentages. We expect every level of government to work together.
Cairns Regional Council stands alongside the Local Government Association of Queensland and other councils across the state in urging the Australian Government to reconsider the changes.
Queenslanders understand resilience. In Cairns, it’s part of our make-up. But resilience cannot be built by reducing investment or shifting the financial risk onto communities most at risk.
As another wet season nears, our message is simple – don’t make disaster recovery harder for the communities that need it most.
Cr Amy Eden
Mayor of Cairns
