The Senate report into state government insurance arrangements and the flood levy has been delayed for the third time, due to a further hold-up by the Queensland Government.

The report to the Senate from the Economics References Committee was originally due on May 2, but the timeframe was extended until June 30 due to a lack of responses to its request for submissions.

It was then extended until July 29 after information requested from the Queensland Government and reinsurance broker Aon Benfield about attempts to insure or reinsure that state’s assets did not materialise.

The new chairman of the committee, Senator David Bushby, has requested a further extension until August 16 as the committee “still requires evidence from the Queensland Government to assist its inquiry”.

At a public hearing held by the committee on May 13, Queensland Insurance Commissioner Neil Singleton said the state had intended to review its insurance arrangements and seek quotes from the market in August, but had brought forward the timeframe after the natural disasters earlier this year.

Mr Singleton said discussions with international reinsurers, which include seeking coverage for Queensland’s road network, were instead due to take place in July, with the decision to bring the process forward also due to changes made earlier this year to the Federal Government’s Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

The NDRRA was amended in March to allow the level of Commonwealth support provided in response to disasters to be varied when a state or territory fails to take out insurance or set up other measures like a properly resourced disaster fund.