The Balonne Shire’s recent inclusion in a Commonwealth/State disaster funding scheme has been welcomed by Mayor, Samantha O’Toole.
“Access to disaster funding is vital to the Balonne Shire Council as we look at repairing infrastructure damaged during recent flooding,” Mayor O’Toole said.
“Every one of our seven town communities sits beside a river and, with an extensive network of roads and bridges spread over a wide area, the Council’s income from rates is simply not enough to fund the repairs to infrastructure needed after the floods.”
Maranoa MP and Minister for Agriculture & Northern Australia, David Littleproud recently announced the Balonne Shire Council has been added to the list of now 23 Councils activated for jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) assistance in response to the flood event.
This assistance will help Balonne Shire Council conduct counter disaster operations as required, as well as repair the damage to public infrastructure that is being revealed by the receding floodwaters, Mr Littleproud said.
“I certainly welcome the news that the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments will continue to work together to assist local governments and provide whatever additional assistance is required to help them along the path to recovery,” Mayor O’Toole said.
“Roads and bridges in good condition are obviously essential to the efficient movement of people and produce throughout the more than 30,000 square kilometres of Balonne Shire, and we are working as quickly as possible to repair flood damage.”
