By Angela Dorizas

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has taken up local government’s campaign for additional funding under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

Ms Bligh met with Prime Minister Julia Gillard earlier this week to seek NDRRA funding for the repair and reconstruction of local government’s water, sewerage and transport infrastructure.

Ms Bligh told Parliament on Wednesday that negotiations between the State and Commonwealth were currently underway.

“There is now a team involving the federal Treasurer, the state Treasurer, Andrew Fraser, and federal and state Treasury officials who will work through some of the complexities in relation to this issue,” Ms Bligh said.

The Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements do not cover all disaster-affected infrastructure and usually exclude those for which a fee for service is charged.

 “The provision of water and sewerage services differs across the councils of Queensland and differs in other councils in other states such as Victoria, parts of which have also been affected by similar disasters,” Ms Bligh said.

“Some councils are asking the Federal Government to give consideration to extending those financial arrangements to an area that has never been covered and, to my knowledge, has never been paid for.

“This is a totally unprecedented area of activity for natural disaster relief payments.”

Damage from the recent floods was estimated to cost around $5 billion, with Cyclone Yasi adding a further $800 million to the reconstruction and recovery bill.

Ms Bligh said the worst damage to council facilities occurred in some of the smallest municipalities, which were the least able to pay for recovery efforts.

“I understand the impatience and urgency that some councils feel,” she said.

“Equally, it is important to understand that this is an unprecedented area of Commonwealth-State financial relations.

“You cannot make a commitment without having at least some idea of what it will cost and how you will fund it. That work is happening right now.”

Ms Bligh called on all levels of government to work together for the benefit of flood and cyclone affected communities.

“The way we got through this disaster, across all levels of government, was with a degree of patience, goodwill and cooperation,” she said.

“Those three things are going to be needed every single day of the recovery.” 

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