An annual fund worth $50 million, to be used to lessen the impact of natural disasters, remains untouched by the Federal Government on the last day of the financial year.
Key points:
- The $50 million natural disaster mitigation fund was set up this year but has not been put to use
- Labor says it is "negligent" that the money has not been used to prepare for disasters
- The Government says it has been using other funds to achieve the same purpose.
Labor secured the money for prevention measures as part of a deal with the Morrison Government to set up the $4 billion Emergency Response Fund at the end of last year.
But the $50 million for mitigation and $150 million for recovery assistance have not been used.
Shadow Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said Labor was surprised the money had not been spent.
"I just don't think it is good enough for the Government to be sitting on these funds."
Senator Watt said the money could have been used for firebreaks, cyclone shelters and flood levees.
"I think there are many people in our regions who are threatened by fires, by cyclones, by floods who could give you a list of projects right now that this money should be spent on," he said.
Emergency Management Australia, an agency within the Home Affairs Department, manages the funding and provided a statement to the ABC confirming it had not spent the money and it was yet to be committed to any projects.
"No engagement on expenditure has occurred," the spokesperson said.
But EMA pointed to much larger funding pool shared between the Federal Government and the states and territories, arguing it was being used first.
"The Government, in conjunction with state and territory governments, recently confirmed the investment of over $260 million over five years from 2019–20 to deliver disaster risk reduction initiatives at the national, state and local levels through the National Partnership Agreement on Disaster Risk Reduction," the statement said.
The spokesperson maintained the department was not obligated to spend the funds every year.
"While the fund is not intended to be drawn on every severe weather season, nor is it the Australian Government's sole avenue to support disaster resilience and risk reduction, the Government may choose to draw upon the fund if there is clear evidence that existing programs are insufficient," the statement said.
Emergency Management Australia has confirmed that the unspent money remains in the fund's investment account.
The Natural Disaster Royal Commission is expected to include recommendations for bushfire mitigation measures when it hands over its report at the end of August.
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