The federal government has extended the application deadline for the next $200 million round of the Disaster Ready Fund due to disruptions caused by Ex-Cyclone Alfred and other severe weather.

Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister says the decision to push back the date by two weeks to April 16 follows feedback from local government areas hit by recent natural disasters.

The $1 billion five-year program provides funding for mitigation and resilience projects, with a focus on infrastructure investment. States and territories are expected to co-fund projects.

“This extension reflects the Australian government’s commitment to supporting disaster-affected communities by providing organisations with additional time to prepare their applications,” Ms McAllister said. “We understand that many communities have experienced challenging times and that is why we have extended the closing date.”  

A total of 187 projects received funding under round one of the program in 2023-24, and 171 were approved under round two, with recipients named last August and November.

States and territories lodge applications with the National Emergency Management Agency, which has indicated “outcome announcements” for round three are likely in late September to early October.

The Insurance Council of Australia is pushing for the fund to be made a 10-year rolling program, with funding indexed so it does not fall in real terms.