$20m helps Queenslanders safeguard against cyclones

First launched in 2018 with $20 million from the state, the program has been extended twice, with Queenslanders showing a keen desire to make sure their homes can withstand extreme elements.

The program is open to low-income Queenslanders who own homes built before 1984 within 50 kilometres of the coast from Bundaberg north to the border with the Northern Territory.

Those who meet the income eligibility requirements (which vary based on household composition) can receive up to 75 per cent of the cost of improvements up to a maximum value of $11,250 including GST. The improvement works must total $3,300 or more.

Eligible works include roof, garage door and house frame upgrades and replacements, roof structural strengthening using external over-batten tiedowns, as well as window protection measures such as cyclone shutters or screens.

The federal funding comes out of the government’s Disaster Ready Fund, which replaces the Emergency Response Fund that is set to cease on 30 June 2023.

In announcing the extension of the program, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk stressed the needs of people in her state, who are increasingly worried about worsening weather events.

“Queensland is affected by more natural disasters than anywhere else in Australia — in fact, we’ve been impacted by over 100 major events since 2011, causing more than $22 billion in damage,” she said.

And she noted that the works were also serving to lower Queenslanders’ cost of living by trickling down into savings on their home insurance.

“Fortunately, most insurers do offer discounts for policyholders who make their homes more resilient — it’s common sense to reward people for reducing the risks and the costs of future claims,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The government reports that since the start of the program, the approved works have achieved an average reduction of 10.3 per cent on recipients’ insurance costs.

And in fact, 10 per cent of all previous applicants have been uninsured, meaning the funding would pay to strengthen elements that would be paid fully out of pocket in the event of damage or destruction.

The federal Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt, added that the $20 million contribution — the first funding to come from the Disaster Ready Fund — should set the tone for how the government wants to approach natural disaster spending going forward.

“Reports show Australia spends far more on disaster recovery than it does on preparing for disasters, and that mindset needs to change,” Mr Watt said.

“By making homes more resilient, we can help to reduce the impacts of future disasters while bringing down insurance costs in the meantime.

“Insurance affordability is a key issue for the Albanese government because families are really feeling the pinch of cost-of-living pressures, especially in cyclone-prone regions where premiums can be as high as 50 per cent more than they are in Brisbane.”

This latest round of funding will allow for the program to continue for at least three years, supporting up to 1,100 home owners.