A $7 million investment in new rain gauges, cameras, electronic signage, and sensor technology will provide Queenslanders with earlier and more precise alerts regarding rising floodwaters.
The significant investment will see the implementation of 170 projects encompassing 260 flood warning infrastructure assets across the 23 most affected councils by the 2022 Queensland floods.
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Each council will receive up to $235,000 for their new flood warning infrastructure, with an additional $1 million going towards 14 high-priority projects recommended by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) within nine eligible councils.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said these new Flood Warning Network projects are crucial to tackle the increased frequency and intensity of floods in recent years.
“With earlier flood warnings and more comprehensive information captured we’ll significantly improve our defence against disaster events,” he said.
“While we can’t predict the future, we know complacency is simply not an option when it comes to building disaster resilience,” he added.
Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) Minister Nikki Boyd said: “Queensland’s latest devastating disaster season has again illustrated the need to ensure our Flood Warning Infrastructure Network is robust and fit-for-purpose.”
She said these investments would position Queensland to better weather and recover from future impacts.
“Because while we recover we also need to keep preparing for the natural disasters we will inevitably face in the years ahead.”
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