QLD: Beattie calls for new approach to floods

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-1999
QLD: Beattie calls for new approach to floods

BRISBANE, Feb 14 AAP - Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has called for a new approach to
flood assistance funding that puts the emphasis on combating floods instead of repairing the
damage.

Local governments should look at long term strategies when rebuilding bridges and other
facilities that can continue to operate during flood peaks, Mr Beattie said today.

"At present if a bridge gets knocked over, we repair it, instead of re-building the bridge
that can handle the next floods," Mr Beattie said.

The strategy was a long term approach to meeting the annual challenge of flooding, he said.

Mr Beattie has put the proposals in a letter to Prime Minister John Howard, urging the
immediate creation of a joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Mitigation Fund.

AAP geb/sk

KEYWORD: FLOODS QLD FUND

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