Seventeen more Queensland councils as well as primary producers and rural landholders in Charters Towers and Flinders are set to receive disaster assistance support from the Federal and State Governments following flooding across the region.
Support activated includes:
- Funding to support emergency repairs and the long-term rebuild of damaged roads in Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Croydon, Diamantina, Flinders, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Longreach, McKinlay, Northern Peninsula Area, Pormpuraaw, Richmond, Winton, and Wujal Wujal Councils.
- Recovery grants, concessional loans and freight subsidies for primary producers operating out of the Charters Towers and Flinders LGAs to help with clean-up, equipment repairs, replacement of stock, loss of income, and the continuity of operations. Grants to support eligible rural landholders or lessees of at least 10 hectares in the Charters Towers and Flinders LGAs, who have sustained direct damage from the floods but are not eligible for primary producer assistance
All support is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Jenny McAllister said the recent flooding has had a profound impact on a growing number of councils, primary producers and landholders across North, Far North and Western Queensland.
“As we understand the full extent of damage from this flooding event, we are moving quickly to activate appropriate support for these communities,” she said.
“Today’s assistance for more councils and landholders will help impacted communities clean up as quickly as possible and begin recovering.
“Recovery can take time and our government is here for the long haul. The Albanese Government will continue working hand in glove with the Crisafulli Government to support impacted communities in Queensland.”
Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery, Ann Leahy said the assistance would help rural and regional people get through the weather event.
“The scale of this severe weather event has been devasting. We are committed to continuing to support North Queenslanders throughout the disaster recovery process,” Minister Leahy said.
“Councils in impacted areas have been working around the clock as they tackle the challenge of serving their communities under very difficult circumstances. I know primary producers and landholders are also feeling the full effects.
“North Queensland knows that the state and Commonwealth governments are working hard to get the affected communities the support they need.”
