Flood hardship payments for Qld communities
Flood-affected Indigenous communities in Clermont, McKinlay Shire, and parts of the Mackay region in Queensland can now access Personal Hardship Assistance payments.
The financial support, provided through the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), will help residents recover from the widespread damage caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji and the North Queensland Monsoon Trough.
Emergency payments of $180 for individuals, up to $900 for a family of five or more will ensure impacted residents can meet essential needs like food and clothing.
Hardship assistance
Eligible localities in the Mackay local government area are Broken River, Crediton, Dalrymple Heights and Eungella, with hardship assistance also still open to disaster impacted residents of Flinders, Richmond and Winton Shires.
Three income-tested grants are also available to uninsured residents in Clermont, McKinlay, Flinders, Richmond and Winton, offering funds to replace damaged essential household items, reconnect essential services, and repair flood damage to a home.
Applications can be made at www.disaster.qld.gov.au or by calling the Queensland Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
Additionally, the councils of Aurukun, Burdekin, Central Highlands, Diamantina, Isaac, Livingstone, Mackay, Mareeba, Mornington, Northern Peninsula, Pormpuraaw, Rockhampton, and Whitsunday can now access DRFA support for their response and recovery activities, while disaster loans up to $250,000 have been extended to impacted small businesses in Aurukun, Burdekin, Isaac, Mackay, Pormpuraaw and Whitsunday.
Support to Queenslanders
In total there are 31 local government areas currently receiving funding from the Federal State Governments following significant rains and major flooding that have washed over large areas of the state’s north since Christmas.
Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said that funding assistance will provide support to Queenslanders during the hard weeks and months ahead.
“We know how important it is to help Queenslanders get back on their feet following disasters like this,” Minister Leahy said.
“Post disaster recovery isn’t a quick journey, but Queenslanders can take heart knowing we’re here to support them with every step forward.”
Personal Hardship Assistance available to eligible residents:
- Emergency Hardship Assistance – $180 per person, up to $900 for a family of five or more to purchase immediate essentials like food, clothing and medicine.
- Essential Services Hardship Assistance – $150 per person, up to $750 for a family of five or more to assist with immediate needs following the loss of essential services at home for more than five consecutive days.
- Essential Household Contents Grants – income-tested assistance for uninsured residents, up to $1,765 for individuals and up to $5,300 for couples or families to replace destroyed essential household contents such as bed linen and whitegoods.
- Structural Assistance Grants – up to $80,000 for uninsured, income-tested owner-occupiers towards the repair or replacement of a disaster damaged dwelling to return it to a safe and habitable condition.
- Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme– income-tested grants to help uninsured residents reconnect damaged services like electricity, gas, water or sewerage. Up to $5,000 per household.
For disaster loan info and applications, small businesses can visit www.qrida.qld.gov.au or phone 1800 623 946.
