More Townsville residents to receive disaster hardship grants
- Support for Queenslanders impacted by the NQ floods has been activated for 26 new localities in the Townsville City Council area.
- Eligible residents can apply for a range of hardship grants including emergency assistance for food, clothing and medicine.
- Financial aid has also been extended to Charters Towers and Whitsunday Councils for their response and recovery efforts.
More north Queenslanders whose properties have been impacted by the ongoing flood crisis in the region can now access Personal Hardship Assistance from the Australian and Queensland Governments.
Residents in 26 new localities across the Townsville local government area (LGA) can apply for funding through the Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme, an initiative under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
The newly activated areas of Townsville include Alligator Creek, Arcadia, Black River, Blue Hills, Bluewater, Bluewater Park, Cape Cleveland, Clemant, Crystal Creek, Cungulla, Florence Bay, Gumlow, Horseshoe Bay, Lynam, Majors Creek, Mutarnee, Nelly Bay, Nome, Paluma, Picnic Bay, Rollingstone, Saunders Beach, Toolakea, Toomulla, West Point and Yabulu.
Support includes Emergency Hardship Assistance Grants of $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five or more to cover essentials like food, clothing and medicine.
Uninsured residents may also be entitled to income-tested grants up to $5,000 per household to inspect and reconnect damaged services like electricity, gas and water.
This announcement extends the list of north Queensland communities activated for Personal Hardship Assistance, which includes targeted areas of Burdekin, Cassowary Coast, Gordonvale and Townsville, and the LGAs of Hinchinbrook and Palm Island.
Eligible residents can apply via www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp or by calling the Queensland Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.
DRFA support has also been activated for Charters Towers and Whitsunday Regional Councils, allowing them to access funds for their counter disaster operations and the reconstruction of essential public assets.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said the extension of Personal Hardship Assistance would help those hardest hit with upfront cash to cover their immediate needs.
"The Albanese Government continues to work with the Crisafulli Government to ensure flood affected communities are getting the immediate assistance they require," Minister McAllister said.
"This is why we've extended hardship grants to 26 new localities in Townsville, and DRFA assistance to Charters Towers and Whitsunday Councils, to help more people recover from this record-breaking weather system.
"If you've been impacted by these floods and live in an area where this disaster support has been activated, please check your eligibility and access the funding available to you."
Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said the Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme features a range of measures to help those in need.
"As well as the emergency assistance payments for essentials, we have unlocked funding to cover damaged household items, and if a resident has been without power for five consecutive days," Minister Leahy said.
"For those who were uninsured, we have income-tested grants to go towards the reconnection of essential services, and property structural repairs if a home has been damaged.
"Eligible north Queenslanders can apply for this assistance by visiting the Queensland disaster recovery support website or calling 1800 173 349."
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.
Current NQ localities activated for the DRFA Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme:
- Burdekin: Airdmillan, Barratta, Carstairs, Cromarty, Giru, Groper Creek, Horseshoe Lagoon, Inkerman, Jarvisfield, Jerona, Majors Creek, Mona Park, Mount Surround, Rita Island, Shirbourne, Upper Haughton.
- Cairns: Gordonvale (targeted areas).
- Cassowary Coast: Cardwell, Damper Creek, Ellerbeck, Kennedy.
- Hinchinbrook: Entire LGA
- Palm Island: Entire LGA
- Townsville: Alligator Creek, Arcadia, Balgal Beach, Black River, Blue Hills, Bluewater, Bluewater Park, Cape Cleveland, Clemant, Cluden, Crystal Creek, Cungulla, Florence Bay, Gumlow, Hermit Park, Horseshoe Bay, Idalia, Lynam, Majors Creek, Mutarnee, Nelly Bay, Nome, Oonoonba, Paluma, Picnic Bay, Railway Estate, Rollingstone, Rosslea, Saunders Beach, South Townsville, Stuart, Toolakea, Toomulla, West Point and Yabulu.
Current NQ councils activated for DRFA assistance to support their counter disaster operations and the reconstruction of essential public assets:
- Burdekin, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Charters Towers, Hinchinbrook, Palm Island, Tablelands, Townsville, Whitsunday, Yarrabah.
