Public housing tenants and
private homeowners will get help to carry out repairs to make homes safer and
more flood-resilient, through two programs jointly funded by the Albanese and
Cook Governments.
Through Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), the first
program will see Kimberley public housing residences damaged by the flooding
associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie at the start of the year rebuilt to a
more resilient standard.
Works may include raising the
houses above flood levels, treating cavity walls against mould outbreaks,
replacing wall linings and floors with resilient materials, raising the height
of electrical outlets and installing water-resistant cabinetry.
This program will also support
the immediate repairs of the flood-damaged community access roads, opening them
up to allow construction work to commence as soon as possible.
A second program will provide grant funding of up to $50,000 to eligible private
homeowners to assist with out-of-pocket costs related to repairs and resilience
works on homes damaged by Tropical Cyclone Ilsa in April and the flooding
associated with ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie.
Under this program, two types of grants will be made available:
- Recovery Grants will reimburse eligible private homeowners who
incurred clean-up and repair costs; and
- Resilience Grants will reimburse eligible private
homeowners for the costs of specified upgrades to increase the resilience of
their properties.
Federal Minister for Northern
Australia Madeleine King said the two programs would provide those living in
areas at higher risk of flooding some peace of mind.
"Six months on from ex-Tropical
Cyclone Ellie, and two months on from Tropical Cyclone Ilsa, we are continuing
to work very closely with the Cook Government to ensure those continuing to
recover can minimise the impact and risks of future events on their homes," Minister
King said.
"This is just one aspect of a
suite of resilience pathways that we will continue to collaborate on to ensure
communities can take the steps they need to recover and build resilience from extreme
weather events now and into the future."
Western Australian Emergency
Services Minister Stephen Dawson said it was important to incorporate
resilience measures into recovery programs to better protect communities into
the future.
"Both ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie's associated flooding and Tropical Cyclone Ilsa
caused significant damage to communities, including people's homes, and we
recognise the benefits of helping people rebuild or repair their homes to a
more resilient standard," Minister Dawson said.
"This jointly funded program provides important
support to help impacted communities make their homes more resilient
to future natural disasters and contribute to a greater peace of mind in the
advent of a severe weather event."
The Western Australian Government will prioritise local employment, training
and economic development opportunities as part of the three-year program of
works.
The support is in addition to
more temporary housing for displaced residents and workers, and recovery grants
for farmers, small and medium-sized businesses, also announced today. For more
information, visit: www.dfes.wa.gov.au/kimberleyfloods
