BRISBANE, Queensland, Sept. 2 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:
Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers
The Honourable Ann Leahy
* The Crisafulli Governmenthas broughtinsurers,all levels ofgovernment and regional communities together in Bundaberg to tackle risinginsurancepremiums and restricted insurance coverage.
* Investment in disaster resilience and mitigation is helping better protect Queensland communities, with insurers being urged torecognise this work when setting premiums.
* The roundtable expressed concerns that theAlbaneseLaborGovernment's proposed disaster funding cutswill lead toaninsurance billbody blow for Queensland households.
* TheCrisafulli Government is building Queensland's future and delivering better services through a stronger economy, after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government is continuing totake action to makeinsurance more accessible and affordable for Queenslanders, with the thirdInsurance in Rural and Regional Queensland Roundtablebeing held in Bundaberg today.
The roundtable brings together representatives from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), the National Emergency Management Agency, the Insurance Council of Australia, major insurers, and local,stateand federal governments to tackle rising premiums, restrictedcoverageand delays in claims processing.
The Crisafulli Government is investing in disaster mitigation and resilience, including through the$450 million Queensland Resilience and Risk Reduction Program, to better protect Queensland homes, businesses,roadsand communities.
It'sjust one of the ways the Crisafulli Government is building Queensland's future and delivering better services through a stronger economy.
This important work is being put at risk by the AlbaneseLaborGovernment's proposed disaster funding cuts, which would reduce the Commonwealth's contribution and put greater pressure on Queenslandcouncils.
Under the proposed Albanese Government's Disaster Recovery Funding Framework, 99% of Betterment and Risk Resilience works completed since 2013 would not have been eligible for funding.
Less investment in disaster resilience means greater exposureforfuture disasters, putting further upward pressure on insurance costs and making it harder for Queenslanders to access affordable cover.
The Crisafulli Government is standing up for Queenslandand fighting to ensure the AlbaneseLaborGovernment does not leave Queenslanderswith an insurance bill body blow.
The Insurance Roundtable also successfully advocated for Bundaberg residents, with IAG, Suncorp and RACQ Insurance committing to passing through the appropriate risk reduction benefits of the levee to insurance premiums from the commencement of construction.
Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said building resilience and improving insurance affordability for residents and businesses must be a shared priority.
"The Albanese Labor Government'sproposed changes will kill off flood protection works and regional Queenslanders will be forced to deal with insane insurance price increases," Minister Leahy said.
"Queenslanders are facingan insurance bill body blow from the Albanese Labor Government.
"99 per cent of floodprotectionworksthathasoccurred across Queensland would not have happened undertheAlbanese Labor Government's proposed new systemandwe will not stand for that.
"This roundtable is about putting the facts on the table including better data, more mitigation and a clear case for fairer insurance premiums for regional Queensland."
Bundaberg Regional CouncilMayorHelen Blackburn saidBundaberg hadreceived more support from this State Government in the last 18 months than we have had in many years.
"Theinclusion of theBundabergLevee inthis StateGovernmentBudget is welcomed on the basis thatBundaberghas never had any flood mitigation, and with insurance policies going nowhere but up,something has to be done," Mayor Blackburn said.
"I have beenfightingfor thisproject to include protection for communities north of the river, thisStateGovernmentis definitelylisteningand I thank them for that.
"The Albanese Federal Government disaster funding cutsmeansthat now more than ever we need works tocommenceon this levee."
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT:Kyah Devine,0428 217 040
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
