In the wake of increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters, councils across Australia are being forced to rethink how they manage emergency response and recovery.
It’s no longer enough to simply react. When roads wash away, culverts collapse, or debris blocks vital access routes, councils must act fast, not just to repair infrastructure, but to secure the funding that makes recovery possible.
And that’s where the cracks are showing.
Under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), local governments are eligible to claim back costs related to emergency works and restoration. But in practice, the process is anything but smooth. Manual inspections, disconnected data, and outdated reporting methods slow things to a crawl, often taking weeks or months to compile the evidence and documentation required for a successful claim.
In disaster response, every hour matters. So why are we still relying on workflows that belong in the past?
The hidden cost of outdated processes
Talk to any council team who’s submitted a DRFA claim, and you’ll hear the same story: data captured on paper, endless back-and-forth to verify inspection details, and clunky audit trails that leave teams vulnerable to delays or rejection.
The stakes are high. A slow or inaccurate claim could mean critical funding is delayed … or lost entirely. For communities trying to get back on their feet, that’s unacceptable.
But a growing number of councils are turning to smarter systems to speed up and de-risk the process.
How digital innovation is changing the game
A new whitepaper from infrastructure management platform Asset Vision, DRFA Claims Made Easy, lays out a practical framework for how local governments can streamline disaster recovery claims using technology already available today.
It’s not about complex systems or costly overhauls. It’s about rethinking how data is captured, validated, and submitted, using the power of automation, geospatial data, and real-time field reporting.
Among the innovations explored in the whitepaper:
- AI-powered defect detection that identifies road damage using digital twins and visual recognition
- Instant mobile inspections with GPS and photo evidence automatically tied to assets
- Audit-ready reporting that eliminates manual collation and guesswork
- Integrated workflows that sync data from field teams to claims documentation in real time
At the centre of this transformation is Asset Vision’s Autopilot, a next-gen, AI-driven inspection tool that automates road and pathway corridor data capture, intelligently detects potential defects, and transforms how infrastructure inspections are conducted, with no minimal user input required. As vehicles travel disaster-affected routes, Autopilot scans and classifies defects in real time and captures geolocated photographic evidence that feeds directly into DRFA claim templates. Users can also log points of interest handsfree and on the go with the Bluetooth button and speech to text conversion. Users can review inspection images at any time, before or after an event – and the solution supports users viewing historical images at a single location. The result? Councils can assess large areas quickly, objectively, and with digital proof that stands up to audit.
It’s a game-changer, and councils like Moyne Shire are already proving how effective it can be.
Case in point: Moyne Shire Council
When Moyne Shire was hit by severe storm damage, their team faced the all-too-familiar challenge of documenting the event quickly and accurately. But instead of falling back on clipboards and spreadsheets, they turned to Asset Vision’s platform.
The result? DRFA claims that previously took weeks were compiled in hours. Every inspection was digitally logged, every photo time-stamped and geotagged, and the final reports were formatted in a way that aligned precisely with DRFA requirements.
That’s not just faster. It’s smarter.
Why this matters now
The DRFA is a lifeline for local governments, but the funding won’t wait. Councils must be ready to respond before the storm hits, with systems in place to ensure they can capture and submit pre-and post-event evidence as it happens.
With natural disasters becoming more frequent and funding conditions more stringent, modernising DRFA workflows is no longer optional, it’s essential.
This isn’t just a technology story. It’s about resilience, compliance, and community confidence. Councils that can respond rapidly and transparently will be the ones who secure funding faster and recover stronger.
Ready to modernise your DRFA claims process?
Download the full whitepaper here: DRFA Claims Made Easy
Discover how Moyne Shire Council turned chaos into control with smart asset management.
assetvision.com.au/2025/06/11/enhancing-asset-management-at-moyne-shire-council-with-asset-vision/
Register to attend Converge Expo this September 17-18 here.
