North West Queensland welcomes much-needed flood recovery investment
Local government leaders from across North West Queensland have welcomed priority investment for flood recovery and resilience in the region as part of the State and Federal government’s $119 million funding package announced today.
Representatives from the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NWQROC) joined Premier Steven Miles and Senator Murray Watt, Federal Minister for Emergency Management in Townsville meeting ahead of the announcement to discuss local recovery investment plans and a second stage package of $98 million to address the councils impacted by the 2019 Monsoon flooding event.
At the announcement today Senator Watt said: “Local governments have put in a huge effort to help their communities recover and they’ll be very much involved in planning where that money is spent.
"Given the scale of the events that we saw, those councils in North West Queensland, which are represented today by their mayors, will be a very key focus in this recovery and resilience package.”
“When we have these events, we want to build back better, and that’s what this funding is about, so we’re more prepared for the future,” Senator Watt said.
Representing NWQROC, Etheridge Shire Mayor Barry Hughes said it is most welcome to see that funding priority was the North West which was seriously impacted by flooding events in 2023.
“To be able to stand here today with the support of both State and Federal government, is a huge milestone for helping rural and remote councils right across the North and North West, Mayor Hughes said.
“Councils can start to develop detailed plans and costing for building back better to avoid recurring damage to essential infrastructure and invest in our communities’ health and wellbeing.”
“It’s a great day when the three levels of government can come together when it comes to try to fix the impacts of these weather events. In our case across the North West councils, it dates back to the devastating monsoonal flooding in 2019.”
“NWQROC has done a great job advocating for this type of funding to be delivered. To see it come to fruition today is a great day for North West Queensland,” he said.
“Whilst we see the normal impact on roads and infrastructure, there are so many other areas that have been impacted. The communities’ resilience, health and well-being, connectivity, housing, all those things have been impacted by those massive weather events.
“Speaking with the Minister and Premier earlier on we understand this is a stage one, with further funding in the pipeline and we look forward to working closely to see that come to fruition as well.”
“We well and truly recognise that we’re just one part of Queensland that has been impacted. We are very appreciative of the type of funding that’s being delivered,” Mayor Hughes said.
NWQROC is working with the National Emergency Management Agency and Queensland Reconstruction Authority on the details on the development of priorities and program details for the second round of funding focussing on the 2019 flooding event and we look forward to announcements at the NWQROC meeting on 7-8 February in Cloncurry.