Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience, Minister for Regionalisation, Regional Communications and Regional Education
Joint media release
Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie
Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience
The Hon Mark Furner
Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities
Primary producers affected by Tropical Cyclone Niran now have more time to complete their recovery works thanks to an extension of the disaster assistance recovery grants.
The $75,000 Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Grants, which were announced for Cassowary Coast, Cairns, Hinchinbrook, Mareeba and Tablelands local government areas in March 2021, are being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said the damaging winds and rainfall brought by tropical cyclone Niran in February and March 2021 hit vulnerable farmers hard following several years of drier conditions.
"Many of these farmers have missed out on their first year of good crops, and instead have had to deal with loss of income from destroyed crops and reduced yields.
"We are committed to supporting our primary producers as they begin to recover. This extension of time means farmers don't have to rush their applications and can rest assured they will have the resources to get on with the job," Minister McKenzie said.
"We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with these communities to assist in repairing the damage caused by these events."
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants have been extended to 30 June 2022.
"Producers have had a long road to recovery with damage to machinery and fencing, along with loss of crops and top-soil from paddocks.
"We acknowledge that recovery works have been hampered by the wet winter, harvest activities and the impacts of COVID-19 on labour shortages and are pleased to extend the deadline for works to be completed.
"As soon as producers are able to complete their recovery works, they can be reimbursed up to $75,000 under the Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants."
Special Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants are administered by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) on behalf of the Queensland and Australian Governments.
