Support extends west and north in response to flooding disaster

Assistance provided through the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA)

Key information

Federal and State Governments are extending assistance to support 17 more councils as well as primary producers and rural landholders in Charters Towers and Flinders, after flooding across the north and northwest of the state.

• Thirty councils are now activated for DRFA assistance in response to the North and Far North Tropical Low weather event: Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Burdekin, Cairns, Carpentaria, Cassowary Coast, Charters Towers, Cloncurry, Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Douglas, Etheridge, Flinders, Hinchinbrook, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Longreach, McKinlay, Northern Peninsula Area, Palm Island, Pormpuraaw, Richmond, Tablelands, Townsville, Whitsunday, Winton, Wujal Wujal and Yarrabah
• Disaster Recovery Grants up to $25,000, Disaster Assistance Loans up to $250,000 and Essential Working Capital Loans up to $100,000 will allow primary producers to re-establish and maintain operations, while freight subsidies up to $5,000 can be applied for to move stock and supplies
• Eligible rural landholders can apply for grants up to $10,000 for their clean-up efforts and the reinstatement of any primary production conducted on their property 
• Grants, loans and freight subsidies also available to primary producers, and grants to rural landholders in Charters Towers and Flinders LGAs
• Assistance is provided through the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

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).

For primary producer grants and loans, and rural landholder grants, visit the QRIDA website www.qrida.qld.gov.au or call 1800 623 946.

Applications for freight subsidies can be made via Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries on 13 25 23 or at www.daf.qld.gov.au.

Source: Queensland Government