AUGUST 21, 2017: I NOW have great confidence that there will be further NDRRA Category D funding provided for cyclone recovery in the Whitsundays, Bowen & Mackay.Today, further discussions have been held between the Federal Government and the State Government about certain aspects of the Category D funding package.Extra information which was needed regarding funding for Shute Harbour has been supplied and further discussions have also been undertaken regarding the Bluewater Trail.There is also a need more environmental recovery funding to adequately deal with beachfront restoration, as well as the restoration of river banks such as the Don River in Bowen.In relation to the Airlie Beach foreshore, other funding sources have come through to complete that project.If the State Government is also able to provide the breakdown of where the Resilient Infrastructure (Betterment) funding will go, and they should have this information from local government, it will be very likely that funding for that particular component of the funding package will be boosted as well.This is now not about a particular dollar figure; it’s about funding what needs to be funded.That is, whatever is needed for the Shute Harbour, whatever is needed for the Bluewater Trail in Mackay as well as adequate funding to restore beachfronts, to restore the Don River and whatever is needed to repair infrastructure to a level which ensures it can withstand future cyclone events, is what I expect to see provided.This is all but certain.We are now finalising the processes to make sure all necessary information has been provided and then the Minister responsible, the Minister for Justice Michael Keenan, can make his decision.
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