Sixty-eight projects worth more than $26 million will be undertaken across Queensland to enhance community resilience to natural disasters, Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts announced today.

 

Mr McClelland said the Queensland and Commonwealth governments would contribute more than $12 million to the total cost of the projects under the Natural Disaster Resilience Program, with the applicant and partner organisations also contributing funding.

 

"With climate change effecting weather patterns, it is likely natural disaster events in Queensland will be more regular and more severe in coming years," Mr McClelland said.

 

"The Bureau of Meteorology has already warned Queenslanders to be prepared for a potentially intense storm season this year, with the chance of more cyclones, storms and associated flooding.

 

"Queenslanders are well-practiced in preparing for storms, however we need to look further ahead and build resilience to natural disasters in communities across the state.

 

"We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand. If we work now to enhance resilience we can reduce the potentially devastating impact of these natural disasters in the future."

 

Mr Roberts said projects funded in the second and latest round of the NDRP ranged from flood mapping, to back-up power and generators for essential services and flood surveillance cameras.

 

"Each of these projects has been selected because they assist the community better prepare for, and recover from, natural disasters like floods, severe storms and cyclones," Mr Roberts said.

 

"The projects we are announcing today complement the 37 projects valued at more than $7 million funded in the NDRP's inaugural funding around.

 

"The NDRP is a four-year funding program with a total of $44 million being made available on a competitive basis to eligible organisations."

 

One hundred and twenty-four funding applications for projects with a combined value of close to $64 million were made in the program's second funding round.

 

The applications were assessed by a committee comprising representatives of the Local Government Association of Queensland, Emergency Management Queensland, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and the Department of Community Safety.

 

"This level of interest from organisations across the state demonstrates the determination within the community to ensure we are better prepared for natural disasters now and into the future," Mr Roberts said.