Joint media release: Further personal hardship assistance and new freight subsidies for North Queensland

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt
Queensland Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, the Hon Mark Ryan MP

Residents isolated by flooding in Camooweal, 190km north-west of Mount Isa, can now access Personal Hardship Assistance provided by the Queensland Government and jointly funded by the Australian Government through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

This support provides $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five or more to cover the costs of essential items such as food, clothing and medicine.

The Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme has also been activated for Camooweal residents, a means tested relief measure to help uninsured homeowners repair damaged services like electricity, gas and water.

Meanwhile, primary producers in Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Doomadgee and Mount Isa are eligible for freight subsidies of up to $5,000 to move stock, feed, machinery and other operational necessities.

Assistance is being provided by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the jointly funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

A total of 41 local government areas have access to DRFA support in response to the current monsoonal rainfall and flooding experienced across northern and central Queensland.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt said the assistance measures will support North Queenslanders with their immediate recovery from the floods.

“With some northern residents currently cut off by floods, we’re activating these support measures to help them through this tough stretch,” Minister Watt said.

“This financial assistance is going straight to Queenslanders in need and will allow them to get back on their feet after floodwaters subside.

“Freight subsidies of up to $5,000 are also being extended to primary producers in heavily impacted areas like Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Doomadgee and Mount Isa, so they can keep the wheels of their businesses turning.”

Queensland Minister for Fire and Emergency Services, the Hon Mark Ryan MP said the floods experienced by the region were record-breaking.

“More than 530mm fell across the Nicholson, Gregory and Leichardt River catchments and we have water getting into places that haven’t been touched in generations,” Minister Ryan said.

“These additional support measures we’re announcing today will help some of our most remote Queensland residents and the primary producers that operate in these parts.

“We’ll continue working closely with the federal government to keep support coming for flood-impacted communities across Queensland, and I thank all our frontline services for their ongoing efforts in response to this severe weather.”

For more information on Personal Hardship Assistance and the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme, contact the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349 or visit www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp.

Primary producers applying for freight subsidies can call the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on 13 25 23 or visit www.daf.qld.gov.au​.

Jointly funded DRFA support for this weather event has been activated for 41 Queensland local government areas: Aurukun, Barcaldine, Barcoo, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Burdekin, Burke, Cairns, Carpentaria, Cassowary Coast, Central Highlands, Cloncurry, Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Doomadgee, Douglas, Etheridge, Flinders, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Livingstone, Lockhart River, Longreach, Mackay, Mapoon, Mareeba, McKinlay, Mornington, Mount Isa, Napranum, Northern Peninsula Area, Palm Island, Pormpuraaw, Richmond, Tablelands, Torres Shire, Townsville, Whitsunday, Winton and Yarrabah.

Further details on disaster assistance can be found via the Australian Government's Disaster Assist website and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority website​.