Government To Invest $236 million To Upgrade Flood Warning Network

The Federal Government will spend $236 million over 10 years to establish a national flood warning network as communities need reliable access to flood forecasts and warnings.  

The investment will be used to purchase and upgrade high-priority flood gauges that local, state and territorial governments currently own in flood-prone areas. 

The national flood warning network aims to improve the reliability and consistency of flood data, forecasts and warnings. 

Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The New South Wales Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:

Minister for the Environment Tanya Plibersek said severe weather events, including floods, were becoming more extreme and more frequent. 

The infrastructure will kick off in Queensland first, the country’s most disaster-prone state with high flood risk. 

“When these events occur, people need access to the best available information in real-time. The people of Queensland and Northern NSW especially know that from a recent tragic experience.” Ms Plibersek said. 

“Reliable flood warnings will help Australians prepare for moments of extreme weather. It will keep people safer as they happen. And being better prepared will, when the water recedes, help reduce the financial impact of flooding on families and businesses,” she added. 

Local and state governments have been calling for a national solution to address critical, long-standing risks in Australia’s flood gauge network since 2015. 

Studies back then wanted that the patchwork flood gauge network would increase risk during floods. 

Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said reliable early warnings were essential to keep people safe and limit flood events’ physical impacts and costs. 

“We’ve seen communities hit by terrible disasters in recent years, and this investment will mean people are given time to protect themselves, their property and their land,” Mr Watt said. 

Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia's fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.