Healthy Land & Water supports councils’ funding push for increased emergency management
Healthy Land & Water has come out strongly in support of recent calls by local councils for substantial increases in funding made available for emergency management.
In the face of escalating natural disasters across Australia, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has put together some numbers, listing the urgent need for $900 million per year to be allocated to councils across Australia to increase their emergency management capacity.
Natural disasters are currently costing Australia $38 billion annually, a figure projected to nearly double by 2060. The reality is stark, with 434 out of Australia's 537 councils impacted by natural disasters in just four years.
The CEO of Healthy Land & Water, Julie McLellan, says that it is well-known that the dire impacts on our people, their homes, livelihoods, local spaces and ecosystems, would be far less during disaster events if money were proactively spent on preparedness rather than relying on costly recovery measures after the fact.
“Our work at Healthy Land & Water consistently shows that healthy ecosystems provide natural buffers against extreme weather events,” she says.
“We also know that investing in preparation is far less costly than recovery. Well-targeted investment in resilience could reduce spending on recovery by as much as $10 for every $1 invested. The numbers for disaster resilience building stack up.
“We know that communities that are better prepared and ecosystems that are more resilient are less impacted when disaster strikes – and that also means reduced costs need to be pumped into the recovery efforts after the fact.
From restoring riparian vegetation that increases flood resilience and reduces the impact of weather events to promoting sustainable land management practices that prevent erosion during heavy rainfall, Healthy Land & Water is known for delivering a raft of significant projects each year, which directly contribute to community resilience.
“Our collaborative approach to resilience-building, coupled with bringing together communities, government bodies, and environmental experts, has proven so effective in making real change,” says Ms McLellan.
“As climate impacts intensify, our organisation remains committed to implementing nature-based solutions that complement councils’ emergency management efforts.
“We're advocating for a future where communities are better prepared, ecosystems are more resilient, and the devastating costs of natural disasters are significantly reduced.”
ALGA_Media release
17 April 2025
Communities on the front line: Councils seek $900 million per year for emergency management. The financial and human cost of natural disasters will continue to rise unless the next Australian Government significant increases emergency management funding to Australia’s 537 local governments.
ALGA President Mayor Matt Burnett said: “We’re calling for a $900 million per year fund, to be provided to all councils to improve their emergency management capacity and capability.”
“Natural disasters currently cost Australia $38 billion per year and this is predicted to grow to $73 billion by 2060,” Mayor Burnett said.
“Councils are at the forefront of emergency management – both before, during and after natural disasters – but we aren’t properly funded to do the work we do.”
“Unfortunately, it’s often our regional councils and communities that have the least capacity to plan and respond to natural disasters that are hit the hardest.
“The Government’s $200 million annual Disaster Ready Fund is a good start but it’s oversubscribed every year, and with disaster mitigation projects often running into the hundreds of millions of dollars it doesn’t touch the sides.”
“As a nation we spend billions of dollars every year on emergency response and recovery, but only a tiny fraction of that on mitigation and resilience, and minimising the impact of disasters when they happen.”
“If we don’t invest more now in preparing for emergencies, and improving our capacity and capability to respond, our communities will continue to bear higher and higher costs.”
“The Government’s own emergency management reviews recommend increased support for councils to improve their emergency management capacity and capability and we need action on these recommendations.”
Mayor Burnett said it was important that any new federal emergency management funding is provided to all councils on a non-competitive, formula basis.
“When we have to compete against each other for limited funds, that means that some communities will inevitably miss out,” Mayor Burnett said.
“Between 2019 and 2023, 434 of Australia’s 537 councils were impacted by natural disasters, so this is absolutely a national problem that needs a strong national solution.”
Further information
ALGA has identified five federal election funding priorities for Australian councils, totalling $3.5 billion, including:
• $1.1 billion per year for enabling infrastructure to unlock housing supply,
• $900 million for emergency management capacity and capability,
• $500 million per year for community infrastructure,
• $600 million per year for safer local roads, and
• $400 million per year for climate adaptation.
ALGA is seeking these new programs to be provided to all councils every year on a non-competitive, formula basis, similar to the way in which Financial Assistance Grants and the Roads to Recovery Programs are distributed.
For more information visit www.putourcommunitiesfirst.com.au
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Media inquiries:
Darren Hunter
Executive Director Advocacy
0499 323 240
