In response to the wide ranging South-East Queensland current flood emergency extends, personal hardship assistance has been extended to include flood affected residents in Gladstone and the Gold Coast.
Personal Hardship Grants are available through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Federal Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said DRFA funding had also been extended to assist with the repair of damaged roads and other public infrastructure to the local government areas of Bundaberg and Western Downs.
"Grants of up to a maximum of $900 for a family of five or more and up to $180 per person are available to eligible people in the flood-affected areas of Gladstone and the Gold Coast to eligible people experiencing financial hardship as a result of the floods," Minister McKenzie said.
"Grants for essential services safety reconnection (ESSR) have also been activated, and these are available to eligible residents who are uninsured and have experienced certain loss or damage to electricity, gas, water, sewerage or septic systems as a result of this disaster.
"Hundreds of families across both these regions are beginning to see the enormous clean-up task ahead of them as the floodwaters go down.
"I want to assure these communities the Australian and Queensland governments stand in solidarity with them on their recovery journey to provide support wherever it is needed."
Queensland Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Mark Ryan said this latest activation would also go towards counter disaster operations aimed at public safety and the repair of essential public assets in the Bundaberg and Western Downs local government areas.
"The extent of these floods is incredibly wide ranging. From Bundaberg and Gladstone in the north out to Dalby in the Western Downs and down south to the Gold Coast, these floods are eclipsing even those of five years ago during Cyclone Debbie," Minister Ryan.
"It is essential we extend DRFA support to every community that needs it and today's announcement demonstrates we are listening to communities in the Gold Coast and Gladstone as well as Bundaberg and the Western Downs.
"Flood-affected residents of the Gold Coast and Gladstone are able to access important financial help under the personal hardship assistance scheme, which is already available in Brisbane, Fraser Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, North Burnett, Somerset and the Sunshine Coast.
"In total personal hardship assistance is available in 13 local government areas now and DRFA assistance has been activated for a total of 21 local government areas to date and we will not hesitate to extend as necessary," he said.
DRFA assistance is now available in the local government areas of Brisbane, Bundaberg, Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Goondiwindi, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, North Burnett, Redland, Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and Western Downs.
