Natural disaster financial assistance for local councils Advice regarding the replacement of essential public assets including betterment and enhancement Please note: SINCE MARCH/APRIL 2015, ANY BETTERMENT PROPOSALS ARE CONSIDERED INELIGIBLE UNDER THE NATURAL DISASTER FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS Restoration or Replacement of Essential Public Assets As a basic principle, the repair and reinstatement of certain essential public assets damaged as a direct result of a natural disaster should be designed to provide the most cost effective solution that complies with relevant Australian building, design and engineering standards. Where this requires different materials or technology than the pre-existing assets, for example replacing a timber bridge with a concrete and steel bridge, this work will be eligible for reimbursement funding, to be cost-shared between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government. Betterment Cost sharing for upgrading public assets to more resilient standards is also available and is known as essential betterment. The of an essential public asset was introduced to the Natural Disaster Relief and ‘betterment’ Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) in 2007 to reduce recovery and rebuilding costs and encourage increased disaster-resilience in essential public assets. The betterment provision allows State and Territory governments to restore or replace essential public assets to a more disaster resilient standard than their pre-disaster standard. The intent of betterment is to increase the resilience of Australian communities to natural disasters, while at the same time reducing future expenditure on asset restoration, reducing incidents, injuries and fatalities during and after natural disasters, and improving asset utility during and after natural disasters. What assets can be included in a Betterment Application? Under the NDRRA, an essential public asset has been defined as asset of an eligible “an undertaking that the state considers and the Commonwealth agrees: is an integral and necessary part of the state’s infrastructure which is associated with health, education, transport, justice or welfare; and would, if lost or damaged, severely disrupt the normal functioning of a community; and would, if lost or damaged, be restored or replaced as a matter of urgency. Examples of essential infrastructure are roads and bridges, culverts and storm water infrastructure. Examples of betterment projects Examples of projects that might be considered for betterment funding could include:
Natural disaster financial assistance for local councils Advice regarding the replacement of essential public assets including betterment and enhancement Please note: SINCE MARCH/APRIL 2015, ANY BETTERMENT PROPOSALS ARE CONSIDERED INELIGIBLE UNDER THE NATURAL DISASTER FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS Restoration or Replacement of Essential Public Assets As a basic principle, the repair and reinstatement of certain essential public assets damaged as a direct result of a natural disaster should be designed to provide the most cost effective solution that complies with relevant Australian building, design and engineering standards. Where this requires different materials or technology than the pre-existing assets, for example replacing a timber bridge with a concrete and steel bridge, this work will be eligible for reimbursement funding, to be cost-shared between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government. Betterment Cost sharing for upgrading essential public assets to more resilient standards is also available and is known as betterment. The ‘betterment’ of an essential public asset was introduced to the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) in 2007 to reduce recovery and rebuilding costs and encourage increased disaster-resilience in essential public assets. The betterment provision allows State and Territory governments to restore or replace essential public assets to a more disaster resilient standard than their pre-disaster standard. The intent of betterment is to increase the resilience of Australian communities to natural disasters, while at the same time reducing future expenditure on asset restoration, reducing incidents, injuries and fatalities during and after natural disasters, and improving asset utility during and after natural disasters. What assets can be included in a Betterment Application? Under the NDRRA, an essential public asset has been defined as “an asset of an eligible undertaking that the state considers and the Commonwealth agrees: is an integral and necessary part of the state’s infrastructure which is associated with health, education, transport, justice or welfare; and would, if lost or damaged, severely disrupt the normal functioning of a community; and would, if lost or damaged, be restored or replaced as a matter of urgency. Examples of essential infrastructure are roads and bridges, culverts and storm water infrastructure. Examples of betterment projects Examples of projects that might be considered for betterment funding could include:
NDFA%20Advice-regarding-the-replacement-of-assets-including-betterment-and-enhancement.docx