Amy Remeikis, in Brisbane Times (3 July 2014), reports that Queensland has pleaded with a federal parliamentary inquiry to not reduce Commonwealth disaster funding, a move which was recommended by the Commonwealth’s commission of audit. “Submitting to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Natural Disaster Funding Arrangements on behalf of the Queensland government, Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli said any changes which would see a reduction in the Commonwealth funding would have a ‘catastrophic fiscal impact for the state, its local governments and residents. … Over the past seven years, Queensland’s disasters have resulted in the loss of 43 lives and they have cost about $14 billion in National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements funding. The World Bank estimated the 2011 floods alone cost the state and the nation $15.9 billion in total damages and economic losses. While this issue is about Commonwealth funding, it might be noted that Queensland’s Commission of Audit appears to have paid little heed to the pressures of natural disasters on the Bligh government, nor Queensland being a highly decentralised State (which increases the cost of providing services, including emergency services).
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