The Queensland and federal governments have announced an $18 million increase to the state’s Flood Risk Management Program via the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The injection will include $7.8 million to strengthen resilience across 39 council areas through flood studies, risk assessments, management strategies and intelligence systems. A further $4.2 million will go to flood forecasting systems, evacuation planning and community awareness initiatives. 

There will be an additional $6 million for Queensland’s Department of Resources to build on data capture work and improve understanding of flood risks.  

The funds bring total investment in the program – established after Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth hit the state in 2022 – to $49 million.

Federal Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister says the continued investment reflects the effectiveness of earlier funding.

“It’s great to see some of our previous investment going towards some groundbreaking initiatives that will equip councils with crucial data to enhance understanding of flood risk management across the board,” she said.