- Personal Hardship Assistance now available to eligible flood affected residents in Burdekin and Cassowary Coast LGAs.
- Includes Emergency Hardship Assistance Grants of $180 per person, up to $900 for a family of five or more.
- Financial support also extended to Yarrabah Council for their response and recovery efforts.
The Australian and Queensland Governments have extended personal hardship payments to eligible residents in the Burdekin and Cassowary Coast Local Government Areas as flooding continues across North Queensland.
This is in an extension to support already made available to eligible residents in Gordonvale, Hinchinbrook, Palm Island, Tablelands and Townsville.
Support measures include grants of $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five or more to cover the costs of emergency essentials like food, clothing and medicine.
Other assistance available to eligible individuals can help replace damaged household contents such as whitegoods and linen, reconnect essential services, and repair damaged property.
Financial support to cover the costs of disaster response and the repair of damaged public assets like roads and bridges has also been activated for Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council.
These support measures are 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 past weekend has been exceptionally difficult for people of north Queensland.
"North Queenslanders are showing great resilience in very difficult conditions, and the Albanese Government will continue working hand in glove with the Crisafulli Government through this event and into recovery" Minister McAllister said.
"Extending Personal Hardship Assistance to eligible residents in Burdekin and Cassowary Coast will ensure more people are supported and unlocking funds for Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council will support their clean up and rebuild."
Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said the extension of DRFA Personal Hardship Assistance will provide direct financial aid to more impacted residents.
"If you are in the Burdekin or Cassowary Coast council areas and have been directly affected by these terrible floods, DRFA assistance is there to give you a helping hand," Minister Leahy said.
"I urge flood affected residents to visit the Queensland disaster recovery support website or call 1800 173 349 to check their eligibility and apply.
"The Australian and Queensland Governments stand ready to activate more DRFA support as the waters eventually subside and the full scale of this disaster is revealed."
Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme
- Emergency Hardship Assistance Grants – $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 – 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 white goods.
- 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.
Eligible residents can apply via www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp or by calling the Queensland Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
