All-hazards approach to disaster funding
2 July 2010
Attorney-General, Robert McClelland has announced that the Australian Government will extend the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) to include terrorist events as well as natural disasters.
“This change will ensure that funding arrangements will be implemented without confusion in the event of a terrorist attack, just as they would be for a flood or bushfire,” Mr McClelland said.
The NDRRA are a set of cooperative arrangements under which the Commonwealth assists the States and Territories with disaster relief and recovery costs, after they exceed certain thresholds. Previously, they have applied to bushfires, earthquakes, floods, storms and storm surges, cyclones, landslides, tsunamis, meteor strikes and tornadoes.
Today’s announcement ensures that the NDRRA will be extended to jointly fund recovery assistance in the event of a terrorist incident, using the same thresholds for damage that apply to natural disasters.
“The change is consistent with the Government’s all-hazards approach to both natural and terrorist events”.
“The ability of our communities to quickly bounce back from such events is a core concern of the Government”.
The Commonwealth has already reimbursed $112 million this financial year under the NDRRA.
The Australian Government is committed to working in partnership with all levels of government, the private sector and communities to better understand the risks we face and to help protect Australia from the impacts of both natural and terrorist events.
Mr McClelland made the announcement in an address to the Torrens Resilience Institute in Adelaide on emergency management in Australia.
Media Contact: Ben Sakker Kelly 0437 390 644
