The Australian and Queensland Governments have approved $96.2 million in exceptional circumstances funding to assist with relief and recovery from Tropical Cyclone Debbie. This funding is provided under Category D of the jointly-funded Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).
Included in the $2.1 million economic package is $1.495 million for the Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) to deliver an industry-wide Agricultural Recovery and Resilience project on behalf of the sector, to assist affected farmers.
QFF President Stuart Armitage welcomed and thanked the Queensland and Australian Governments for supporting Queensland’s farmers, as they continue to rebuild and recover from Cyclone Debbie.
“Disasters like Cyclone Debbie have big and lasting impacts on farmers and rural communities. It takes time to fully recover from these types of events, and this funding will deliver on ground assistance to help farmers and their communities as they continue to rebuild,” Mr Armitage said.
The QFF Agricultural Recovery and Resilience Project will:
- fund industry specific recovery officers to work directly with farmers in the impacted regions
- assist affected farmers to access government and other assistance measures
- connect farmers to professional technical, financial, and health support and advice
- undertake natural disaster resilience planning to improve business resilience for future natural disasters.
QFF will work in partnership with industry members CANEGROWERS, Growcom, Nursery & Garden Industry Queensland and Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation, as well as AgForce Queensland to deliver the project.
“QFF also thank the Australian and Queensland Governments, and particularly the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, for listening to, and acting on, industry concerns about the cut-off date for the Category C Special Disaster Assistance (Clean-up and Recovery Grants), which has now been extended until 18 January 2018,” said Mr Armitage.
For more information on Category C recovery grants, visit – https://www.qrida.qld.gov.au/
The NDRRA is a joint funding initiative of the Australian and Queensland Governments to provide disaster relief and recovery payments and infrastructure restoration to help communities recover from the effects of natural disasters.
