(1)   On what date was the RFMP abolished and incorporated into the Natural Disaster Management Program (NDMP).

(2)   Can the Minister explain all the reasons behind this decision to close down a successful, long-term program that directly linked the Commonwealth Government with local government.

(3)   Can the Minister explain the benefit of abolishing the RFMP which was a program directed toward long-term preventative and planning measures and incorporating its funding within the NDMP which is a program that is necessarily involved with many more reactive activities.

(4)   Did the proposal to conclude the RFMP and incorporate it into the NDMP originate from a Commonwealth department or agency; if so, on what date; if not: (a) who made the suggestion; and (b) on what date.

(5)  

(a)   Which agencies and individuals were consulted as part of the decision to abolish the RFMP; and (b) can a list be provided of all Commonwealth, state and local government organisations and agencies that were consulted.

(6)   Were any other individuals or organisations consulted as part of this process; if so, can full details be provided.

(7)   Can full details be provided of how it is proposed to integrate the two different programs in practice.

(8)   Can the Minister guarantee that there will be no decline in funding for floodplain management as a result of the integration of these two programs.

(9)   For each of the financial years 2002-03 to 2007-08, can a comparative table be provided, showing the real and notional (for 2007-08) allocations in New South Wales for floodplain management under the RFMP and more recently the NDMP.

(10)   Can the Minister confirm that all projects currently under way, such as the Taminda Levee project at Tamworth, will be funded through to completion.

(11)   Can the Minister confirm that all such current projects will receive Commonwealth funding equivalent to what they would have received under the RFMP.

(12)   Since changes to the RFMP and the NDMP funding in 2000 that placed a greater financial burden on local government, how many councils have indicated that they could not afford their contributions.

(13)   Is this the principal reason for the adoption by the Council of Australian Governments of ‘exceptional circumstances’ for financial assistance under these programs.

(14)   What are the criteria for eligibility for assistance under these ‘exceptional circumstances’.

(15)   What is the process by which these criteria have been developed.

(16)   Who was involved in or consulted as part of this process.

(17)   Who will determine when ‘exceptional circumstances’ apply.

(18)  

(a)   Does an acceptance of ‘exceptional circumstances’ mean that a standard of relief will apply to all such applications; or

(b)     will additional relief be provided on a case by case basis; if so, what measures have been put in place to ensure both transparency and equity in the application of ‘exceptional circumstances’.

(1)   The Regional Flood Mitigation Programme (RFMP) will be amalgamated with the Natural Disaster Mitigation Programme (NDMP) on 1 July 2007. Activities funded by the RFMP will continue.

(2)   The Government agreed to incorporate the RFMP into an enhanced NDMP, in line with recommendations of the August 2002 COAG report “Natural Disasters in Australia”. The decision will result in administrative efficiencies and also improve clarity for organisations seeking Australian Government natural disaster mitigation funding assistance.

(3)   As outlined above, the RFMP has not been abolished. Funding will lapse on 30 June 2007 and RFMP activities will be incorporated into the NDMP. Activities that have been eligible for funding under the RFMP will continue to be eligible under the NDMP.

(4)   The decision to amalgamate the two programmes was announced by the Government in the 2003-04 Budget context.

(5)   Key state and territory stakeholder agencies have been repeatedly advised of the pending amalgamation since the decision was announced in May 2003.

(6)   No.

(7)   Applicants who would have submitted an application for flood mitigation works under the RFMP will, from 1 July 2007, submit an application under the NDMP.

(8)   Funding for the NDMP in 2007-08 will be $30.6 million, comprised of $18.6 million for new projects and $12 million in committed but unspent funds re-phased from 2005-06. Individual project applications will be assessed at the state and territory level and prioritised consistent with existing criteria.

 (9)   

*  NDMP funding is for all natural hazards.

**  Assumed “real” means Ministerial approved values not adjusted to current dollars.

(10)   The funding of ongoing components of previously funded RFMP projects will be treated in the same manner as has been the case under the RFMP. Applicants will need to reapply for each new component. In this regard, nothing will change from the current RFMP process.

(11)   As outlined above, the assessment process for funding under the NDMP will be identical to that previously utilised for the RFMP. Funding for individual projects will be determined according to their assessed priority.

(12)   Following the announcement that the Australian Government would fund up to one third of projects under the RFMP, a number of councils wrote to then Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, Senator the Hon Ian Macdonald, seeking a reinstatement of the previous 2:2:1 funding ratio. There are no records of councils advising that they were unable to meet their mitigation responsibilities.

(13)   The COAG report of August 2002 recommended a one third each funding ratio across all three levels of Government in recognition of the responsibilities of each level of government. The exceptional circumstances waiver is applied as the exception to allow communities to participate in the programme that might otherwise be excluded.

(14)   An exceptional circumstances waiver may be available for low capacity local councils, remote Indigenous communities or remote unincorporated communities. Requests for an exceptional circumstances waiver of the standard funding contribution and application and/or reporting requirements can be made by the local agency at the time of applying for funding. Requests should take into account matters included in the application form, such as: local agency rate revenue and capacity to raise funds; local agency expenditure; local agency service area; population affected; degree of risk and level of vulnerability of the affected community; level of risk protection achieved for the whole community in relation to the scale of the project; and other relevant issues.

(15)   COAG agreed to the criteria set out in (14) above following the August 2002 High Level Group review of Natural Disasters in Australia.

(16)   The High Level Group comprised representatives of the Australian Government, each State and Territory and the Australian Local Government Association.

(17)   Any application for an exceptional circumstances waiver is considered as part of the assessment process by each State Assessment Committee.

(18)   (a) No. (b) Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. Transparency and equity is provided under the State Assessment Committee review framework.