The Australian Minister for Justice Michael Keenan has announced $ AUD 3.7 million in funding for projects to help communities prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters and emergencies.
Mr Keenan said that as part of its ongoing commitment to improving Australia’s disaster resilience, the Australian Government will fund 22 nationally significant projects under the National Emergency Management Projects (NEMP) program in 2015-16.
“Natural disasters have an enormous impact on our economy and cripple businesses and communities. These projects, led by government agencies, non-government organizations, volunteer organizations and researchers, will all help communities better prepare and respond to natural disasters,” Mr Keenan said.
Minister for Industry and Science Ian Macfarlane welcomed the funding, and said that while the nature and size of the country's landscape meant that natural hazards were a fact of life in Australia, communities were stepping up efforts to manage natural disaster risks.
The 2015-16 projects were rigorously assessed and recommended by the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee, which includes senior emergency management officials from each state and territory.
For more information go to www.em.gov.au/fundinginitiatives
