Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has received a briefing on the floods currently ravaging Cairns, pledging further financial support for those directed impacted by the disaster.
“I’ve just been briefed on the floods in Cairns with Premier Steven Miles and Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt,” the PM said in a statement.
“The team here have been working around the clock to make sure food, drinking water and critical support gets to where it’s needed most.
“And today I announced further financial support for people directly affected by the floods to help families and individuals get back on their feet.”
From 2pm tomorrow, applications for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) will open for people who live and work in the Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal and Yarrabah Local Government Areas, the Prime Minister confirmed.
- The AGDRP is a one-off payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child who have suffered a significant loss as a result of the floods, including a severely damaged or destroyed home or a serious injury.
- The DRA provides up to 13 weeks of federal income support to assist eligible employees or sole traders who experience a loss of income as a direct result of a major disaster.
“The devastation we have seen over the past few days in Far North Queensland has been horrific,” said Mr Albanese.
“My Government stands with the people of Queensland now during the response and will continue to do so through the recovery phase of this disaster.
“This will deliver emergency support to help families get back on their feet in the coming days.”
Queensland Senator, Nita Green said the payments would be vital to local people affected by the intense flooding.
“The past week has been incredibly tough on people up here in Far North Queensland,” she said.
“But we are tough people and we will get through this.
“These payments will help those affected to pay for the things they need after suffering significant losses, while the DRA is a modest payment to help people who’ve temporarily lost their income.
“And ahead of Christmas, this assistance will be vital for those who have lost so much.”
