The Australian Government will invest more than $5.4 million in projects to boost natural hazard and disaster preparedness and capability across Australia.

Four disaster risk reduction projects will be funded under the Disaster Risk Reduction Package (DRRP).

These projects will help reduce the risk and impact of disasters associated with natural hazards on Australian communities and the economy.

The four projects are:

Joint media release with the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP

A new nationally significant initiative to enhance the Bureau of Meteorology’s severe weather and flood warning products is being launched to help communities better prepare and respond to hazardous weather events.

The $1.29 million project, funded in part through the Australian Government's Disaster Risk Reduction Package (DRRP), will see the development of enhanced Bureau of Meteorology products that support the ongoing implementation of the Australian Warning System (AWS).

Joint media release with the Hon Stephen Dawson MLC

Disaster recovery assistance is now available to communities in Western Australia’s Pilbara, Midwest and Goldfields regions, affected by heavy rainfall and flooding earlier this year.

From 21 to 27 January, a tropical low brought heavy rainfall which caused flooding across the seven local governments, disrupted communities and damaged essential public assets, and resulted in road closures.

Joint release with Resilient Building Council

In a world-first, users of the free Bushfire Resilience Rating Home Self-Assessment App can now receive discounts to their household insurance premiums from two of Australia's largest insurers.

NRMA Insurance and Suncorp Group today announced they will provide discounts to households who complete their Bushfire Resilience Rating assessment and make their homes more resilient to bushfires, with other insurers and banks indicating they will follow.

Joint media release with the Hon Eva Lawler

Disaster assistance is now available for regional communities in the Northern Territory following the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Megan and associated severe weather in the local government areas of East Arnhem, Roper Gulf and West Arnhem.

The assistance, jointly funded by the Australian and NT Governments through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), may include:

Joint media release with the Hon Tara Moriarty MLC and the Hon Jihad Dib MP

Community assets in four severely flood impacted Central West Local Government Areas will be repaired and upgraded to protect from future disasters through the Australian and NSW Governments’ Community Assets Program.

Joint media release with the Hon Jenny Aitchison MP

Construction is about to start on Richmond Valley Council’s $15.8 million Naughtons Gap Road resilience project at Naughton’s Gap, north-east of Casino, providing better access for locals after a series of severe weather events.

The road has been closed since March 2021 due to the level of flood damage and landslips at the time. Landslips were further impacted in February and March 2022 flood events.

A bushfire resilience app, funded by the Australian Government and launched late last year, is already delivering results for bushfire-prone communities, with strong early uptake from residents, and a mortgage rate incentive for some users currently being trialled by one of Australia’s biggest banks.

The Australian Government contributed $3 million to support the groundbreaking work of the Resilient Building Council (RBC) who launched their free Bushfire Resilience Rating Home Self-Assessment app in October last year.

Joint media release with the Hon Stephen Dawson MLC

A range of projects aimed at reducing the risk and impact of natural disasters in Western Australia will share in $2.5 million of funding under the National Disaster Risk Reduction (NDRR) Grant Program.

Following a record number of applications, 15 successful initiatives are set to make an impact in communities across the State, including protection from extreme heat, cyclone shelters, aircraft infrastructure in remote areas and artificial intelligence to detect bushfires early.