As the flooding emergency continues to unfold, disaster assistance has been made available to support flood impacted residents and communities in the Western Downs region.
Maranoa MP David Littleproud said Western Downs residents impacted by flooding are now eligible for a number of government financial support payments of at least $1000 per person.
“Under the Disaster Recovery Payment, a lump-sum payment of $1000 per adult and $400 per child is available for those adversely impacted by flooding and I encourage affected residents to apply for this support,” Mr Littleproud said.
“For a family of two adults and two children, that’s $2,800 available now.”
“The Disaster Recovery Payment is a one-off, non-means tested payment and is available to eligible people in Western Downs who have suffered a significant loss, including a severely damaged or destroyed home or serious injury.”
Also available is the Disaster Recovery Allowance, which is an ongoing payment lasting up to 13 weeks for those whose income has been directly affected by flooding. This is up to $677 per fortnight, depending on personal circumstances.
“This payment is available for small business, employees and farmers who have been working in areas affected by flooding,” Mr Littleproud said.
Western Downs joins the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of South Burnett, Southern Downs and Toowoomba in the Maranoa Federal Electorate, now eligible for the Disaster Recovery Payment and the Disaster Recovery Allowance.
Mr Littleproud said that the easiest and quickest way to claim the Disaster Recovery Payment or the Disaster Recovery Allowance is online through myGov or if people require support to claim, they can call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66.
To help local councils recover, the Disaster Recovery Funding Assistance (DRFA) has also been enacted to help with clean-up operations and to repair local roads and other vital public infrastructure damaged by floodwater.
“DRFA payments is just one way we can support local communities through this disaster and we’re ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with local councils on the road to recovery,” Mr Littleproud said.
