Queensland seeks federal funds for disaster resilience improvements

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli is seeking federal funds to improve disaster resilience after recent severe weather events. A near disaster at a Brisbane electrical substation during ex-tropical cyclone Alfred highlighted the need for better infrastructure to withstand natural disasters. Half a million properties lost power during the storm, marking the worst outage in Queensland's history. Crisafulli emphasized the importance of investing in resilient infrastructure, including schools and roads, to prevent future chaos. The state government is also contesting a proposed $1.2 billion reduction in its GST revenue share, arguing it unfairly penalizes Queensland for issues in other states. Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers responded that budget pressures are common and the GST allocation process is independent.