The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has opposed several key recommendations in the Productivity Commissions draft report into natural disaster funding arrangements.
The ALGA has expressed its concern about a number of draft recommendations that may impose a significant financial burden on some local governments.
The opposed recommendations include the reduction of the marginal cost sharing contribution rate to disaster recovery outlays to 50 percent under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, and increasing the small disaster threshold from $240,000 to $2 million.
State associations also oppose these recommendations.
The ALGA does support other draft findings and recommendations in the draft report, particularly those relating to the need for greater resource allocation to mitigations, risk assessment and management, and the provision of timely and accurate information.
The ALGA has also welcomed the suggestion that councils be given greater autonomy in how they respond to perceived threats, recover from adverse events and the acknowledgement of the value of using day labour.
A copy of the submission is available on the ALGA website.
