12 hours ago
Cost of climate change hits regions and budget hard
Frequent bushfires and flooding have exploded natural disaster recovery and relief costs as 3.2 million regional residents are being promised upgraded hospitals, new preschools and better roads.
As communities in northern NSW continued cleaning up from inundating floods in May and the memory of February's Cyclone Alfred faded, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey on Tuesday set aside another $4.2 billion towards future and past disaster relief.
That figure, outlined in the 2025/26 state budget, was "likely to increase in response to both previous and potentially new natural disasters", he noted.
It comes amid yearly disaster relief spending hitting $1.6 billion since the 2019/20 Black Summer Bushfires, a 10-fold increase on the prior six years.
Several areas have been hit twice, including the northern rivers smashed by record-breaking floods in 2022 and significant flooding in March.
Some $2.3 billion will be specifically allocated to repair cratered local and state roads damaged in Lismore and surrounding towns, as well as in the Hunter.
Another $63 million will be dedicated to relocating locals in the northern rivers looking for safer residential options. while $27 million is being injected into water and sewer infrastructure in central west NSW.
But feral pest management funding has been slashed 30 per cent while drought-affected farmers, selling their sheep and cattles at record rates, are left empty-handed for now.
"Areas around the Riverina, Cootamundra council areas have been in drought now for literally 12 months ... no recognition from this government around what that means," Nationals leader Dugald Saunders said.
"In the last month, there's been a little bit of rain, but that does not make the season and there's concerns about that drought spreading."
He also attacked a record $1 billion injection in biosecurity measures saying it was "paltry" amid myriad threats from fire ants, cattle tick, varroa mites and foot-and-mouth "knocking on the door".
Labor's budget also targets a more environmentally-minded future with a focus on renewable energy.
Some $2.1 billion over four years will primarily support five renewable energy zones, unlocking billions more in private investment.
Farmers and agribusiness will get $45 million to help digital technology and on-farm connectivity while $48 million will boost mobile phone coverage on highways.
An additional $2.1 billion will be invested in building and upgrading schools in Dapto, Broken Hill and elsewhere.
Amid difficulties getting doctors out to the bush and remote communities, more than $1 billion will be invested to build hospitals, reduce overdue surgeries and set up new targeted programs.
These include a new hospital in Gunnedah and a state-wide mental health infrastructure program to boost in-patient services.
About $1 billion will be splashed to build four special business precincts in Parkes, Moree, Wagga Wagga and Snowy Mountains that play to each region's strengths, from freight and logistics to horticulture.
