Council seeks share of disaster resilience funding

Scenic Rim Regional Council has applied for a share of $13.1 million offered in joint funding by the Queensland and Australian governments for projects to reduce the risks and impacts of natural disasters. 

At its Ordinary Meeting today, Council endorsed applications for support from the Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Fund 2023-2024, administered by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, which aims to limit the impacts of natural disasters through projects that increase the resilience of communities and infrastructure. 

Council has sought funding totalling almost $780,000 for the employment for two years of a Disaster Resilience and Recovery Coordinator and for a project to assess the local road network to prioritise maintenance activities associated with managing bushfire risks. 

Both projects aim to improve the Scenic Rim's resilience to natural disasters through prevention, preparedness, response and recovery programs. 

Scenic Rim's Active Transport, Roads Bridges and Paths Portfolio Councillor Virginia West said a series of natural disasters across the region since 2011 highlighted the need for continuous improvement in preparation and response. 

"Each event that has impacted our region has provided an opportunity to continue to develop our capability in preparing for and responding to the threat of natural disasters," she said. 

"It is important that we continue to work to reduce, as far as possible, the impacts of natural disasters on our region and build resilience within our community and infrastructure to deal with future disaster events."