Assistance is being made available for Brisbane City, the Gold Coast and four other disaster-affected areas following the devastation of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald.
Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan and Queensland Minister for Police and Community Safety Jack Dempsey announced today that additional assistance would be made available to the local government areas of Brisbane City, Gold Coast, Logan, Redland, Scenic Rim and South Burnett under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).
"Brisbane city and surrounding metropolitan centres have not been spared by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald," Mr Swan said.
"This emergency assistance includes personal hardship and distress payments for food, clothing and accommodation for residents affected by these floods.
"The Australian Defence Force also continues to support Queensland emergency operations with the formation of an ADF Joint Task Force to coordinate operational efforts."
Mr Dempsey said that with this announcement there are now forty six councils eligible for assistance across Queensland.
"We want to see local communities get back on their feet as soon as possible, which is why these emergency payments are being made available," Mr Dempsey said.
"We will not hesitate to extend NDRRA assistance to other communities if they are impacted."
Mr Swan said the thoughts of all Australians are with those Queenslanders that have been hit hard, particularly those that have been impacted on top of the devastation two short years ago.
"Queenslanders are built of tough stuff and will undoubtedly persevere through this," Mr Swan said.
The assistance now available in these six additional areas includes personal hardship and distress payments for food, clothing, accommodation and medical supplies of $180 for individuals and $900 for couples/families. The scheme also includes essential household contents grants and structural assistance grants. These payments are income and asset tested.
In addition, the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme has been activated in these areas and includes maximum grants of $5,000 per household comprising of safety inspections for reconnection of essential services and replacement/repair of electrical, gas, water and sewerage equipment.
To date, the Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme, has been activated in the 21 councils of Banana, Brisbane City, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, North Burnett, Redland, Rockhampton, Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Western Downs.
Counter Disaster Operations have been activated in the 31 councils of: Aurukun, Banana, Bundaberg, Burdekin, Burke, Cairns, Carpentaria, Cassowary Coast, Central Highlands, Cook, Gladstone, Hinchinbrook, Isaac, Gympie, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Lockyer Valley, Mackay, Mapoon, Moreton Bay, Napranum, Palm Island, Pormpuraaw, Rockhampton, South Burnett, Sunshine Coast, Tablelands, Torres Shire, Torres Strait Island Western Downs and Whitsunday.
Restoration of Essential Public Assets measures are available in the 21 LGAs of: Aurukun, Burdekin, Burke, Carpentaria, Central Highlands, Cook, Doomadgee, Gladstone, Hinchinbrook, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Lockhart River, Lockyer Valley, Mapoon, Mornington, Napranum, Palm Island, Rockhampton, South Burnett, Torres Strait Island and Wujal Wujal.
More information about the assistance that available in each affected local government area can be found at www.disasterassist.gov.au.
This assistance is administered by the Queensland Department of Communities. More information about how to apply for personal hardship assistance and the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme is available at http://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/recovery-after-disaster/