Federal government unveils investments to protect SA from flood and fire disaster
The federal government has pledged millions to help protect SA from a disaster caused by floods or bushfires. See where the money is going
SA News
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The federal government will spend more than $30m on a slew of projects to protect South Australia from floods and bushfires, including stormwater upgrades near the battleground seat of Boothby.
An extra $10m will be spent on the Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater project, just days after independent Boothby candidate Jo Dyer and the project’s co-ordinator, Peta Mantzarapis, made urgent calls for funding.
The $10m grant announced on Thursday is just for the second out of four phases of the project, increasing stormwater flows through the Lower Brown Hill Creek.
The 3.3km extends from Anzac Highway to Keswick Creek on the eastern side of Adelaide Airport, just north of the marginal Boothby electorate.
It will reduce flood risks for residents by easing the stormwater loads on the upper Brown Hill and Keswick creeks.
The federal government says the wider project will reduce the area’s potential damage bill of a significant flood – defined as a one in 100-year event – from $418.5m to just $7.5m.
Finance minister Simon Birmingham said the funding was to “protect our natural environment” for future generations.
“We’re bringing together the knowledge of local organisations and councils with the resources they need to deliver mitigation projects that will build resilience to natural disasters and reduce the costs in both time and money to recover in the event of a disaster,” Senator Birmingham said.
Ms Mantzarapis said the grant, under the Preparing Australia Program, was a “fantastic and welcome investment” from the federal government.
“Our project is about ensuring we minimise the impact of heavy flood waters on residents of the Adelaide plains and protect critical South Australian infrastructure such as the railroads, Adelaide Airport and Ashford Hospital,” she said.
“This federal investment builds on the work the Brown Hill Keswick Creek Stormwater Project already has under way and there is more to come.”
Last Friday, Ms Mantzarapis said further funding was needed to ensure the project could be completed faster.
Ms Dyer demanded $70m for the final two stages. The Brown Hill and Keswick Creeks Stormwater Board can apply for further funding in future rounds of the Preparing Australia Program.
More than $30m under the first round of the program are going to SA projects, including $9.9m on stormwater upgrades in the Trinity Valley urban catchment.
Other investments include $3.7m towards implementing the City of Adelaide’s climate change action plan and $3.5m for the City of Onkaparinga’s bushfire protection measures.
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