LOCAL REGIONS PRIORITISED FOR NEW FEDERAL DISASTER RESILIENCE FUNDING

Local communities are being prioritised for Federal disaster resilience funding under a new program opening today Friday 10 December.

Under the Preparing Australian Communities Program – Local stream, communities across the following local government areas are being prioritised for assistance:

·         Bushfire risk LGAs:  Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA and Port Stephens LGA

·         Flood risk LGAs: MidCoast LGA and Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA

Guidelines for the program are available online www.business.gov.au/grants-and-programs/preparing-australian-communities-local-stream.

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said it was a brand-new funding stream prioritising communities at greater risk of floods, bushfires and cyclones.

“Grants from $20,000 to $10-million will be available for eligible projects,” Dr Gillespie said.

“This is another significant financial opportunity for our region and I would strongly encourage local businesses, community organisations, indigenous organisations, councils and Regional Development Australia committees to take a look at the guidelines and apply.”

Applications are open from Friday 10 December to Thursday 6 January 2022.

Eligible activities may be related to planning for, or raising awareness about disaster risk and mitigation, or they may be improving infrastructure projects such as

·         new or relocated assets or infrastructure to mitigate disaster risk, including but not limited to levees, sluice gates, retarding basins, bridges or community refuges

·         upgrading existing public hazard defence infrastructure, or

·         refurbishing a community building to serve multiple purposes.

In May 2021, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the $600 million Preparing Australian Communities Program in response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, to bring a greater focus to disaster risk reduction.

Further information about the Preparing Australian Communities Program is available at recovery.gov.au/preparing-australia-program.