Grants

Natural Disaster Resilience Program

The Australian Government currently provides funding to the State and Territories for disaster mitigation works and support for emergency management volunteers through the Natural Disaster Resilience Program (NDRP). NDRP consolidates the existing Bushfire Mitigation Program (BMP), the Natural Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) and, from 2011-2012, the National Emergency Volunteer Support Fund (NEVSF).
By integrating a number of existing emergency management grant programs, States and Territories will have the flexibility to effectively meet the requirements of local communities threatened by disaster. The NDRP streamlines the administration of various programs to enable more strategic and targeted use of the funds available for activities that enhance disaster resilience.

A key aim of the NDRP is to enhance Australia’s resilience to natural disasters through mitigation works, measures and related activities that contribute to safer, sustainable communities better able to withstand the effects of disasters, particularly those arising from the impact of climate change.

Disasters in the ACT

[1]The total cost to date of natural disasters in the ACT since 1950 is $389,800 million resulting in 25 deaths; 810 injuries and effecting 367,100 residents.
Between 1939 and 2003, the ACT has experienced severe bushfire events when intense bushfires burnt over thousands of hectares and in some cases  came close to urban areas under the influence of high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds. The worst of these in January 2003 resulted in the loss of four lives and incurred the highest cost of any natural disaster in the ACT at around $350 million.

While significant flooding events in Canberra are not frequent,  there have been major events, including the flash flood that occurred on  Australia Day 1971.  [6]The flood killed seven people including four children, injuring 15 and affecting 500 people. The insurance damage was estimated at $9 million.  It was estimated that around 95 mm of rain fell in one hour during this event.

There has been a string of severe thunderstorms and in recent years the occurrence level of these storms has been above normal.[2]  The damage bill from a severe thunderstorm that struck Canberra on the 2nd December 2005 was estimated at $15 million[3], with two further severe thunderstorms that occurred on New Years Eve 2006 and February 2007 causing tens of million dollars worth of damage[4].

[5]Canberra has experienced on average one earthquake per year for the past 50 years.  It lies within a broad NE-SW trending belt of epicentres.  The largest events recorded in this zone were of Richter magnitude ML 5.6, the same size as the December 1989 Newcastle earthquake.

ACT Natural Disaster Resilience Program (ACT NDRP)

Under the new NDRP, the ACT has been allocated funding by the Commonwealth to enhance the Territories resilience to natural disasters.  The objectives of the program are to provide:

• more resilient, self reliant communities;
• increased engagement between all sectors of the community and emergency managers;
• more efficient and effective natural disaster mitigation strategies that are based on prioritised risk; and
• reduced impact of natural disasters, including the cost of response and recovery to all levels of government.

The ACT Emergency Service Agency has the responsibility for managing the implementation of this program in the ACT.  This includes  providing  a  Territory  wide prioritised natural disaster risk assessment,  and developing  Implementation Plans based on successful and eligible applications to address the objectives of the program.

Under the NDRP, the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department is providing each state and territory with funds to undertake  the Territory  wide prioritised natural disaster risk assessment.  The ACT is about to commence this risk profile, which will be informed by  previous work done throughout the ACT showing that our major risks include bushfires, storms, floods, unseasonal weather conditions or events and earthquakes.  In the absence of this risk profile for the ACT, existing information on natural disasters in this website may guide applications. Applicants are required to match the Australian Government contribution on a 1:1 basis.  Applications of no less than $20,000.00 are sought.

How to apply

Applications for funding under the ACT Natural Disaster Resilience Program will be sought on an annual basis. Invitations to apply will be advertised in The Canberra Times, Whole of Government notices and other forums as appropriate. They will be assessed and prioritised by the ACT NDRP Assessment Committee based on their ability to meet the program objectives. Note that funding is on a cost sharing basis between the Commonwealth and eligible organisations.

Organisations able  to apply for funding under the ACT NDRP are:

• Non-Government Organisations, and in some cases the private sector responsible for disaster management and disaster mitigation works (eg. community recovery organisations, CALD communities) Note that a major priority of the program will be to provide  support to volunteers;and
• ACT government agencies responsible for disaster management and disaster mitigation works.

Applications for 2011/12 have closed.

For more information contact the ACT NDRP Program Manager Jan Dachs jan.dachs@act.gov.au

[1] Disasters Database, Emergency Management Australia (http://www.disasters.ema.gov.au/ by region)

[2] Webb, R.  Supercell strikes like lightning.   In The Canberra Times, 1 March 2007, pp 3.

[3] Disasters Database, Emergency Management Australia (http://www.disasters.ema.gov.au/)

[4] Alexander, C. & Glumac, T.  Super bill expected for storm.  In The Canberra Times, 3 March 2007, pp.1.

[5] Geoscience Australia Earthquake Research Reports (www.ga.gov.au/hazard/earthquake/reports)