2020-21 Betterment Fund

On this page:

The Queensland Government has established a $20 million Betterment Fund that will be available in 47 local government areas in Queensland impacted in the 2020-21 disaster season. It is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments.

Objectives

The objectives of the 2020-21 Betterment Fund are to restore essential public assets damaged in 2020-21 to a more resilient standard:

  • so infrastructure and communities are more resilient to future disasters
  • so future costs associated with disasters are reduced
  • to address Queensland’s assessed natural hazard risks
  • in alignment with the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience and the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience objectives of strengthened disaster risk management and investment in disaster risk reduction.

Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants are local governments and state agencies with assets that are eligible for Category B REPA funding for events in 2020-21. This includes the following activations:

  • Far North Queensland Low Pressure System, 15 - 26 April 2021
  • Southern Queensland Severe Weather, 20 – 31 March 2021
  • Tropical Cyclone Niran and Associated Low Pressure System, 25 February – 3 March 2021
  • Far North Queensland Tropical Low, 24 – 30 January 2021
  • Tropical Cyclone Imogen and Associated Low Pressure System, 2 – 12 January 2021
  • Western Queensland Thunderstorms 21 - 30 December 2020
  • South East Queensland Coastal Trough, 12 – 15 December 2020
  • K’gari (Fraser Island) 9 November – 23 December 2020
  • South East Queensland Hailstorm, 31 October 2020
List of eligible councils

Council areas activated under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) for Category B Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets (REPA) assistance are eligible for this program:

  • Aurukun Shire Council
  • Balonne Shire Council
  • Barcaldine Regional Council
  • Barcoo Shire Council
  • Blackall-Tambo Regional Council
  • Bulloo Shire Council
  • Burke Shire Council
  • Cairns Regional Council
  • Carpentaria Shire Council
  • Cassowary Coast Regional Council
  • Charters Towers Regional Council
  • City of Gold Coast
  • Cook Shire Council
  • Croydon Shire Council
  • Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Douglas Shire Council
  • Etheridge Shire Council
  • Fraser Coast Regional Council 
  • Goondiwindi Regional Council
  • Hinchinbrook Shire Council
  • Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Ipswich City Council
  • Kowanyama Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Lockyer Valley Regional Council
  • Logan City Council
  • Longreach Regional Council
  • Mapoon Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Mareeba Shire Council
  • Mornington Shire Council
  • Mount Isa City Council
  • Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council
  • Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Paroo Shire Council
  • Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council
  • Quilpie Shire Council
  • Scenic Rim Regional Council
  • Southern Downs Regional Council
  • Tablelands Regional Council
  • Toowoomba Regional Council
  • Torres Shire Council
  • Torres Strait Island Regional Council
  • Townsville City Council
  • Whitsunday Regional Council
  • Winton Shire Council
  • Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council

Eligible projects

Eligible projects are betterment works proposed for assets that:

  • meet the DRFA definition of an essential public asset
  • have sustained damage as a direct result of an event listed above
  • meet all eligibility requirements for DRFA REPA funding under the event.

Guidelines

To access the 2020-21 Betterment Fund requirements download the following:

(QRA Reference: CM DOC/21/18732. Version 2. Last updated June 2022)
280 KB
(QRA Reference: CM DOC/22/13897. Last updated June 2022) 367 KB
(QRA Reference: CM DOC/22/13688. Last updated June 2022) 170 KB

Lodging a detailed submission

Applicants will be required to prepare and lodge the betterment project with a corresponding REPA submission, including a completed betterment project application (refer Queensland Betterment Guideline Annexure 1).

Key dates

Betterment projects should be lodged at the time of lodging the corresponding REPA submission, unless otherwise agreed with QRA. REPA submissions may be submitted to QRA up until 31 March 2022, although it is anticipated Betterment funding will be exhausted before this time.

Betterment Application Form

37 KB

FAQs: 2020-21 Betterment Fund

393 KB

Contact

For enquiries email submissions@qra.qld.gov.au

Media statements

Queensland Government crest
Media statement (17 November 2022): $20 million in Betterment projects for remo…
Media statement (17 November 2022): $20 million in Betterment projects for remote and regional Queensland
(External link to: https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/96588)
Queensland Government crest
Media statement (30 September 2021): $20 million fund to boost infrastructure r…
Media statement (30 September 2021): $20 million fund to boost infrastructure resilience in Queensland
(External link to: https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/93381)