Victoria will be better protected and prepared for future natural disasters following 31 local projects receiving over $26 million in funding from round one of the national Disaster Ready Fund (DRF).
In Victoria, the funding will build vital infrastructure like flood levees, seawalls and hazard warning systems to help protect lives, homes, livelihoods and critical public infrastructure.
Emergency Management Victoria coordinated proposals for the State in a single application for round one, for projects that improve Australia’s resilience to natural hazards.
The DRF aims to help communities protect themselves against the impacts of natural hazards across Australia. Close to 70 per cent of Australians were impacted by storms, floods, cyclones and bushfires in 2022 alone, signalling the urgent need to take decisive action.
Successful projects were selected following a rigorous merit-based assessment process undertaken through Emergency Management Victoria and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who will work with each jurisdiction to implement funding agreements with funds to be provided as soon as possible from July 2023. Projects must be completed within three years.
This is a significant outcome for Victoria in assisting communities to be better prepared for future emergencies.
To learn more visit Disaster Ready Fund (External link).
For more information about the successful grant recipients and updates about round two of the DRF visit NEMA’s website (External link).
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.