Disaster relief funding extended to another 12 communities

Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services
The Honourable Neil Roberts
08/02/2010
Disaster relief funding extended to another 12 communities

Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts today announced disaster relief funding arrangements have been extended to a further 12 local government areas affected by recent severe weather.

Mr Roberts said joint State and Federal Government Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) now extended to 38 Councils in Queensland affected by ex-Tropical Cyclones Olga and Neville and recent conditions.

"Communities in much of Northern, Central and Western Queensland have been seriously impacted by heavy rain, associated flooding and damaging winds as a result of recent tropical cyclones Neville and Olga," Mr Roberts said.

"Barcaldine, Central Highlands, Longreach, Maranoa, Paroo, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Hinchinbrook, Isaac, Whitsunday, Winton and Woorabinda have now been added to the relief and recovery arrangements," he said.

"These arrangements will provide assistance and help rebuild damaged public infrastructure in affected communities .

"Under the NDRRA, councils will be able to access funding to cover the cost of restoring essential public assets as well as the cost of counter disaster operations.

"Preliminary estimates of damage are around $100 million to date, and will continue to be assessed."

Mr Roberts said the assistance did not currently extend to personal hardship, however the situation would continue to be monitored for any cases of personal hardship.

Cyclone assistance has been activated in Barcaldine, Central Highlands, Longreach, Maranoa, Paroo, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Hinchinbrook, Isaac, Whitsunday, Winton, Woorabinda Burdekin, Burke, Charters Towers, Cloncurry, Mackay, McKinlay, Palm Island, Richmond, Townsville, Carpentaria, Doomadgee, Mornington, Aurukun, Kowanyama, Cairns, Lockhart River, Cassowary Coast, Northern Peninsula, Cook, Pormpuraaw, Croydon, Tablelands, Etheridge, Wujal Wujal, Hope Vale and Yarrabah local government areas.

Permanent Link: Disaster relief funding extended to another 12 communities
Publish Date: 08 Feb 10