The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has warned that the Federal Government’s proposed changes to disaster management will leave communities without adequate aid when disasters hit, with cuts to funding and now ‘boots on the ground’ support threatened.
Disaster Relief Australia (DRA), which has increasingly been used in place of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel to assist with disaster clean-ups, has stood down its workforce and gone into liquidation.
The disaster relief agency, which uses the skills of veteran volunteers to help communities prepare and recover from events such as floods and cyclones, was the 2023 Charity of the Year and had received $38 million in Federal funding.
“Up until now, the Federal and State governments and councils have worked in partnership, using the hard lessons of repeated, protracted disasters to forge a preparedness, recovery and betterment system that gives communities the confidence they will get the help they need when they need it,” LGAQ President Mayor, Matt Burnett, said.
“Our disaster response arrangements have repeatedly proven their worth and should be funded to continue, not cut back.”
LGAQ Chief Executive Officer, Alison Smith, said with DRA going into liquidation, councils and communities are wondering who will assist them in future clean-ups and recovery if the Federal Government’s ADF alternative has been wound up.
“This is not a criticism of the volunteers and the hard work they did. But the DRA’s liquidation shows the risks of trying to cut corners when it comes to disaster response and recovery,” Smith said.
“The best result would be for the Federal Government to maintain the current Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) funding as well as commit to boots on the ground after severe natural disasters.”
Townsville City Council Mayor, Nick Dametto, said as the largest garrison city in Australia, it would be devastating to be left without any help at all during and after a disaster.
“These cuts to funding may be just a budget figure to the Federal Government but to us they would have a real impact on the ground as we try to rebuild roads, bridges, and other infrastructure,” Dametto said.
“That situation will only be made far worse if we’re left to clean up the mess alone.
“In Townsville, our ADF personnel are part of the community, they live here, work here and raise their families here, and traditionally have always been ready and able to assist Townsville in its hour of need.”
Cook Shire Council Mayor, Robyn Holmes, said the council and community had used DRA for significant events such as Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
“If we can’t have the ADF, and DRA no longer exists, then who will we turn to when our communities need extra help? And how will we pay for it?” Holmes said.
“Maybe the Federal Government could give local councils the $38 million instead.”
Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor, Alister Gibson, said Wujal Wujal was evacuated after Tropical Cyclone Jasper and relied heavily on DRA and ADF support.
“What we’re hearing about disaster support is simply getting worse and worse,” he said.
“The Federal funding cuts proposed will impact councils and communities dramatically.
“To no longer have guaranteed external physical support when a major disaster event has occurred will create a huge capability issue for us.
“In an extremely remote location like ours, this will be a devastating outcome as there’s really no-one else to rely on when our roads need extensive repairs and our communities are isolated.
“If it’s not the ADF or DRA, then who?
“The proposed Federal disaster funding cut will have a big impact on a community like Wujal Wujal, which regularly has small, sharp weather events that create significant road repair works, resupply costs and isolation. But the threshold changes will now mean our small community are on our own.”
Redland City Council Acting Mayor, Julie Talty, said all Queenslanders should be concerned about the proposed Federal short-changing of Queensland.
“Cyclone Alfred showed nowhere in Queensland is safe from natural disasters,” Talty said.
“No-one knows when the next natural disaster will strike but we know we have a system in Queensland that works. It shouldn’t be tampered with.
“Anyone who has lived through the sorts of disasters Queensland communities deal with knows we need more support and betterment, not less, and definitely not the cut backs which this Canberra number crunch risks serving up.”
Bundaberg Regional Council Mayor, Helen Blackburn, said Queensland communities could not afford less Federal natural disaster support.
“We’ve seen the impact of natural disasters as recently as March and they show no sign of letting up,” Blackburn said.
“It is too great a risk to change a system that works.”
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