Cook and Albanese Governments pledge $900k towards drought resilience plans across regional WA

The Cook and Albanese Governments are shelling out $900,000 to implement drought resilience plans across regional WA to bolster community responses to dry seasons.

The announcement comes amid the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s prediction of less frequent wet years and more common dry years for the State, on top of more intense hot spells.

The funds will enable community-led plans to be rolled out in the Mid West, southern parts of the Wheatbelt, and the inland Great Southern as part of the Future Drought Fund’s Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program.

With the support of the State’s Regional Development Commissions, community groups, 16 local government authorities and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, the plans aim to prepare the regions for future droughts by building resilience and improving natural resource management.

WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said the program is part of the Government’s commitment to create “strong regional communities that continue to grow and thrive.”

“These drought resilience plans provide a blueprint for our communities on how to manage and adapt to our drying climate,” she said.

“The documents were developed following extensive community consultation and engagement with experts to support our regions to withstand the impacts of climate change.”

Regional Development Minister Don Punch said the drought program was especially important for WA.

“WA is a vast and diverse State that can be vulnerable to climate variability and extremes, as we have seen with floods and fires in recent times,” he said.

“This investment provides a roadmap to help communities prepare for and manage difficult conditions and situations with confidence and support.”

There are further drought plans in development for the lower Great Southern, North Midlands, northern Wheatbelt, Goldfields-Esperance and Gascoyne, on top of a joint initiative by the Kimberley and Pilbara regions.