The long-term recovery strategy for communities affected by the 2019 North Queensland flood has been finalised and work is underway on ways to improve the regions' resilience and future prosperity.
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After the flood: A strategy for long-term recovery, was developed by the National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency after extensive consultation in the region, and has five strategic priority areas.
They are broadening the economic base, more resilient infrastructure, more prosperous enterprises, connected communities and information-enabled regions.
Five measures totalling $58 million will kick-start implementation over the coming months.
These include a $20m recovery and resilience grants program, $15m funding for improved access to reliable telecommunications and energy services, $12m to increase skills in disaster risk management planning and risk mitigation, $9m for new economic opportunites and $2m for preventative mental health programs for young people.
Aligned to the Strategy's strategic pillars are 19 actions.
Coordinator-General for Drought and the North Queensland Floods Shane Stone said he and Drought and Flood Agency staff have already gone to work to support the Strategy's implementation.
"I'll be travelling through the region from today, talking to Mayors and other community and business leaders to outline the Agency's priorities. This includes locally-driven initiatives that underpin the Strategy's five strategic pillars," Mr Stone said.
"This Strategy was developed with and for the people of the North and North West. We've had many conversations around kitchen tables, in town halls, council meeting rooms, local coffee shops and on the sides of roads. We also held seven roundtables with representatives from primary production, natural resource management, small business, healthcare and government."
Mr Stone said the Agency would continue to work with the people in the affected regions.
"It's vitally important that the people who will benefit from this Strategy have a hand in how it's brought to life. We'll continue to ask what they think works best for them and how their vision for their future can be supported not just by the Australian Government, but by anyone with an interest in making the regions economically, socially and environmentally resilient," he said.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
