2020-03-16 General Committee Agenda

GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING REPORT                                                    16 MARCH 2020


5     CATEGORY D BUSHFIRE RECOVERY EXCEPTIONAL ASSISTANCE IMMEDIATE
      SUPPORT PACKAGE

Author            Community Services Director/Local Disaster Recovery Coordinator, Kerri
                  Contini
                  Community Services Department

Index             ECM/ Subject/18.15 Recovery

Attachments       1.    Proposed Program of Works – Category D Bushfire Recovery
                        Exceptional Assistance
                  2.    2019 Bushfires – Local Recovery Plan


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Community Services Director to the General Committee
Meeting dated 16 March 2020 and approve the Program of Works as detailed in Attachment 1 to
the report to be submitted to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority as a condition of the
Category D Bushfire Recovery Funding.

REPORT
1.    Background
In recognition of the severity, scale, and duration of the 2019-2020 bushfire season,
Commonwealth and State Governments, not-for-profit organisations and industry bodies, have
released a wide range of funding packages to support the recovery of impacted communities.
In January 2020, the Commonwealth Government announced immediate exceptional assistance
payments for highly impacted communities, of which five local governments in Queensland were
included: Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Livingstone, Scenic Rim and Southern Downs. Noosa Council
has received $1,275,000 as part of this funding package.
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) is administering the funding under Category D
Exceptional Assistance Funding of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. The funding
guidelines state that it is to be used for projects and activities that councils deem essential for the
recovery and renewal of their communities, which may include, but not limited to:
(a)   Rebuilding damaged or destroyed council assets such as key local roads, bridges and
      community facilities;
(b)   Employing additional local staff to take on specialist recovery or planning roles to help
      coordinate and plan the rebuilding effort;
(c)   Hosting new public activities and events to bring communities together and attract visitors
      back to affected regions;
(d)   Activities and measures to support local economic recovery; and
(e)   Immediate maintenance and repairs to relief and evacuation centres.
As a condition of the funding, Noosa Council is required to submit a Program of Works to the
Queensland Reconstruction Authority no later than 27 March 2020. The allowable time limit for
expenditure of the $1,275,000 is 30 June 2022.


                                                                                       Page 10 of 29