Western Queensland Councils stand united in fight against federal disaster funding cuts
The 25 councils of the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils (WQAC) have today delivered a resounding, unanimous rejection of the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), voting overwhelmingly in favour of a motion calling for an immediate reversal of the planned reforms.
Delegates at the 7th WQAC Assembly in Brisbane stood in lockstep with local government colleagues from across the state, raising their hands in a powerful show of solidarity against what has become the most hotly debated topic of the summit.
The endorsed motion warns that the proposed changes would:
Reduce the Federal Government's funding contribution to disaster response and recovery.
Drastically increase the activation threshold a disaster must meet before communities can receive help.
Severely limit the ability of councils to "build back better" through vital betterment programs.
Place local economies, critical industries, and essential infrastructure under direct threat.
Modelling from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) paints a sobering picture of the proposed reforms.
Under the current system, the Commonwealth and State share costs in disaster funding, with the federal contribution historically rising up to 75 per cent beyond certain thresholds.
The proposed shift to a strict 50-50 cost-sharing model is projected to leave Queensland communities facing a massive funding gap – estimated at $713 million from the last disaster season alone.
Kristy McBain, Minister for Emergency Management and Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories, attended Day 1 of the Assembly to address the "elephant in the room" and defend her government's position.
Minister Kristy McBain addressed the Assembly on “Reforming Disaster Funding at a National Level"
Minister McBain reassured delegates that the reforms were not designed to leave councils carrying the financial burden.
"Councils are not required to contribute funding under the current arrangements, and these proposed reforms don't change that," she stated.
"They simply mean that the Commonwealth and the state government will equally share the cost of recovery."
Despite the Minister's assurances, Western Queensland mayors and the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) remain highly sceptical that regional communities won’t be impacted by the changes, labelling the proposal a cost-shifting exercise that ultimately penalises Queenslanders.
Both WQAC and the LGAQ have vowed to keep up the pressure, confirming that if the Federal Government does not back down in the coming months, the Alliance will take the fight all the way to the next federal election.
Anne Leahy, the Queensland Minister for Local Government and Water, and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers, said the changes would have a direct impact on local councils.
Minister Ann Leahy addressed the Assembly as part of a Queensland Government Ministerial Forum
“On average, Queensland receives about 64 per cent in Commonwealth funding for disaster recovery. The federal government's 50-50 cost shift will place the differences squarely on councils. It will hurt dramatically,” she said.
“So, it is a wrecking ball that will go through councils, and it will leave communities worse off. It leaves New South Wales and Queensland … we are the losers when it comes to the proposed changes and the only beneficiary is the Commonwealth government."
Federal Minister McBain pointed to the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, noting that the current framework has not kept pace with changing risks.
She argued that the reforms are aimed at cutting red tape, streamlining complex processes, and ensuring funding flows faster to the ground.
"I've heard directly from many of you that you want funding to flow faster, that you want red tape cut, that you want greater control of response and recovery," Minister McBain said.
Etheridge Shire Mayor Barry Hughes, who is also the chair of the North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils, said his colleagues were concerned that they would become the “meat in the sandwich” between the Commonwealth and Queensland governments.
“I don't know where we go from here, Minister. I really don't. The concern and the sentiment across local government is that we, as councils, will become the meat in the sandwich for the squabble that's going to go on between Commonwealth and State,” he said.
“And what I've heard this morning, none of those fears have been allayed.”
ENDS
Contact:
Greg Hoffman PSM, Executive Officer, WQAC - E: greg.hoffman@wqac.com.au, M: 0418 756 005
