FIONA PHILLIPS
MEMBER FOR GILMORE

GILMORE COMMUNITIES THE BIG WINNERS
UNDER LABOR’S PLAN FOR DISASTER READINESS

An Albanese Labor Government is to invest up to $200 million per year on disaster prevention and resilience.

Welcoming the decision, Member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips saying, “We need a government that plans for the natural disasters we know are coming. That’s why the announcement to revamp the Morrison Government’s failed Emergency Response Fund and spend up to $200M per year on disaster readiness just makes sense.”

“Residents across the electorate have gone through so much. Additional to the Black Summer bushfires, for example, since 2019, there have been seven disaster declared floods. This funding commitment will literally save lives and it’s going to save taxpayers the billions of dollars that is spent each and every year recovering from disasters”, Mrs Phillips said

Labor’s Disaster Ready Fund will curb the devastating impacts of natural disasters by investing in important disaster prevention projects like fire breaks, flood levees, telecommunications improvements, and evacuation centres.

Mrs Phillips adding “It is a disgrace that we are now in our third disaster season since the $4.7 billion Emergency Response Fund was announced by the Morrison Government and we have not seen a single disaster prevention project built and not a single cent spent on disaster recovery despite the fund accruing $750 million in interest.” 

Labor’s Plan for Disaster Readiness will also:

• Continue to fully fund disaster recovery through the existing Disaster Recovery funding arrangements.
• Cut red tape so disaster resilience funding can get out the door faster.
• Improve the efficiency of disaster recovery processes, to simplify and speed up payments to disaster victims and repairs to damaged infrastructure.
• Assist with spiralling insurance premiums in disaster-prone regions, by reducing the risk of expensive damage to homes and businesses.