Eligible essential public assets - DRFA

On this page:

This guidance relates to eligibility for joint Commonwealth State funding under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets (REPA), Emergency Works (EWK) and Immediate Reconstruction Works (IRW) to restore event damaged assets.

REPA eligibility is assessed against all the following DRFA criteria

Under the DRFA, an essential public asset must be a transport or public infrastructure asset of an eligible undertaking which the state considers, and the Commonwealth agrees is an integral part of a state’s infrastructure and normal functioning of a community.

DRFA eligibility requires a YES to all the following DRFA criteria:

  • Does the asset meet the DRFA definition of Transport or Public infrastructure essential public assets?
  • Is the asset owned and operated by an eligible undertaking, or operated and maintained by an eligible undertaking under a demonstrated agreement with the asset owner also an eligible undertaking, i.e. a local government under or state government agency?
  • Is the operation of the asset provided free of charge or at a rate that is 50 per cent or lower in the cost to provide the service?
  • Has the asset been directly damaged by an eligible disaster, and can this be demonstrated?
  • Is the damaged asset necessary and integral to the normal functioning of the community?
  • Does pre and post disaster condition evidence clearly link the asset damage to the eligible disaster?
  • Does pre and post disaster condition evidence demonstrate the exact location, nature and extent of damage to the asset caused by the event?
  • In cases where a damaged asset that meets all of the above is covered by insurance (e.g. public infrastructure such as hospitals or schools), has insurance been sought? Does the submission exclude costs that are covered by insurance?

Eligible essential public assets

Transport infrastructure  Public infrastructure  

An asset that is an integral part of a state’s infrastructure and associated with:

  • roads and road infrastructure (including footpaths, bike lanes, pedestrian bridges)
  • bridges
  • tunnels
  • culverts
  • other essential or supporting components of the transport infrastructure such as:
    • retaining structures
    • road furniture
    • drainage
  • regional aerodromes/airports operated as eligible undertakings.

Eligibility of marine infrastructure such as boat ramps, jetties and guidance buoys, demonstrated as integral to the normal functioning of coastal and island communities, must be agreed by the Australian Government.

An asset that is an integral part of a state’s infrastructure and is associated with:

  • public hospitals
  • public schools
  • public housing
  • prisons/correctional facilities
  • police infrastructure
  • fire and emergency services’ stations
  • levees
  • state/territory or local government offices
  • stormwater infrastructure
  • water and waste water infrastructure operated as eligible undertakings
  • river height monitoring assets and infrastructure used to inform early flood warnings to communities

Are assets not listed above eligible?

For assets not listed above, agreement on eligibility must be sought via the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) with the Australian Government. Please contact your Regional Liaison Officer (RLO).

What is an eligible undertaking?

The DRFA defines an eligible undertaking as a body that is either:

  • a department or other agency of a state government or
  • established by or under state legislation for public purposes i.e. a local government established under Local Government Act 2009 or City of Brisbane Act 2010, and
  • operates the asset provides services free of charge or at a rate that is 50 per cent or less of the cost to provide those services.

Which assets are ineligible for REPA, EWK or IRW?

The Australian Government identifies the following assets as ineligible for for REPA, EWK or IRW:

  • road rest area infrastructure
  • fire trails
  • boat ramps or jetties located in national parks, reserves and recreation areas
  • sporting, recreational or community facilities (e.g. playgrounds and associated facilities)
  • religious establishments (e.g. churches, temples and mosques)
  • memorials and cemeteries
  • assets that are damaged due to contributing factors such as poor design, poor construction, inadequate maintenance or pre-disaster damage
  • environmental assets such as natural vegetation, waterways, beaches or undeveloped land
  • river walls and sea walls except where the wall directly protects an eligible essential public asset
  • privately owned infrastructure that may be used for emergency services.

Ineligible costs

DRFA, REPA, EWK and IRW eligibility criteria apply to the asset, the scope of works and the estimated or actual costs of repairing or reconstructing the asset. Costs considered ineligible for reimbursement by the Australian Government include:

  • any costs that would have been incurred even if the event did not occur, such as maintenance
  • costs reimbursable under other external funding sources, e.g. Insurance, Queensland Government Insurance Fund (QGIF)
  • non-specific indirect and overhead costs including internal administration costs such as finance, human resources, back-office processing and administration
  • consequential losses subsequent to the actual event (e.g. business interruptions, loss of income, damage not directly caused by the event, additional damage after the event)
  • costs that could normally be absorbed by, or reasonably managed within, the State’s financial, human and other resource capacity
  • costs associated with the preparation of DRFA submissions, reporting and acquittals.

Note: This list is not exhaustive. The Queensland Disaster Funding Guidelines (QDFG), Section 9 details the essential public asset eligibility criteria, plus data, photo and other evidence required when claiming funding under the DRFA REPA, EWK or IRW.

Tools and references

Note: Where there are inconsistencies between this guidance, the Australian Government DRFA and the QDFG Guidelines, the DRFA will prevail.

 

Last reviewed: September 2023

This tipsheet relates to eligibility for joint Commonwealth State funding under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets (REPA), Emergency Works (EWK) and Immediate Reconstruction Works (IRW) to restore event damaged assets. 301 KB