Published on Thursday, 18 September 2025 at 1:49:54 PM
For immediate release
On Valentine’s Day this year, Cyclone Zelia left the Shire of East Pilbara with a $60 million road damage bill and more than 27 roads significantly impacted. Flood waters took weeks to subside, breaking records, with short term emergency works completed to temporarily restore access.
Shire President Cr Anthony Middleton said the situation was untenable: “With wet season fast approaching again we are eager to ensure that funding can be confirmed, and we can have the necessary work completed.”
"We are calling for an urgent round table meeting to discuss the matter with all levels of government, to review the system in order to give certainty for the emergency response.
Under the current Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), local governments must pay the full cost of recovery works before seeking reimbursement — a process the Colvin Review described as inequitable, overly complex and a “significant, if not existential, financial risk” for smaller councils. Pre-approval is not a usual process, and therefore the Council has to spend first and then try to recover.
“It’s just not feasible for local Councils to operate in this manner” Cr Middleton said.
To work around this, the Shire is working closely with both DFES and Main Roads WA to have funding requests assessed before works begin, in an effort to ensure the community is not left to foot the bill of the disaster.
Cr Middleton said this highlighted the constraints of the current system. The way the system currently works it’s expected that local governments will do the work and then submit a request for reimbursement to the state, who in term must submit a request to the federal government.
Consequently, the Shire is calling on the Federal Government to urgently implement the Colvin Review’s recommendations, including:
- Simplifying DRFA processes to end crippling reimbursement delays.
- Ensuring equitable access for regional councils with limited rate bases.
- Embedding resilience measures, such as drainage, into all recovery works.
In the meantime, the Shire continues to work with DFES and Main Roads WA to secure the release of critical funds and has undertaken emergency works where possible. However, many roads remain unsafe, with closures now in place until proper reconstruction can be funded.
Currently the following roads are closed, requiring a permit for essential travel:
- Hillside–Woodstock Road
- Punmu Road
- Shay Gap Road
- Skull Springs Road (from the airport)
- Eastern Creek Road
- Munjina–Roy Hill Road (from the end of the bitumen to Marble Bar Road)
- Goldsworthy Road (north from the community)
- Skull Springs Rd (Eastern Creek Rd to Woodie Woodie Rd)
- Hillside Bonny Downs Rd
“Cyclone Zelia may have hit on Valentine’s Day, but seven months later the Shire still hasn’t received assurance of funding that will enable recovery works to commence. The Shire of East Pilbara see the Round as essential in order to resolve the matter."
-ENDS-
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