Flood Hardship Assistance Available For Hinchinbrook Residents

Personal Hardship Assistance has been activated for flooded residents in Hinchinbrook Shire, battling the impacts of recent monsoon flooding.

Assistance includes grants of $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five or more for emergency essentials like food, clothing and medicine, and funds for residents who have been without essential services for more than five days.

Three income-tested support measures targeted at uninsured residents are available as well, including Structural Assistance Grants up to $80,000 to return a home to a safe and habitable condition.

Hinchinbrook Shire Council have been activated for disaster funding to assist with their counter-disaster operations and the reconstruction of essential public assets, and Townsville Council can now recoup costs for repairs to their road network.

In response to the North Queensland Monsoon Trough, 18 LGAs are currently receiving financial support from the Government under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain said assistance will continue to be activated where required.

“We’re facing a significant recovery operation that will be measured in months and years rather than days and weeks,” Minister McBain said.

“As floodwaters slowly recede and we learn more about the impacts of this disaster, we will extend all support necessary to help north and north-west Queensland communities.”

Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said the government is in constant contact with councils to make sure affected Queenslanders are cared for.

“We’re working tirelessly to support all eligible requests for Personal Hardship Assistance and other DRFA measures,” Minister Leahy said.

“Applications for hardship assistance can be made at www.disaster.qld.gov.au or by calling our 24/7 Queensland Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.”

Personal Hardship Assistance available to eligible north-west Queensland residents:
Emergency Hardship Assistance – $180 per person, up to $900 for a family of five or more to purchase immediate essentials like food, clothing and medicine.

Essential Services Hardship Assistance – $150 per person, up to $750 for a family of five or more, to assist with immediate needs following the loss of essential services at home for more than five consecutive days.

Essential Household Contents Grants – income-tested assistance for uninsured residents, up to $1,765 for individuals and up to $5,300 for couples or families to replace destroyed essential household contents such as bed linen and whitegoods.

Structural Assistance Grants – up to $80,000 for uninsured, income-tested owner-occupiers towards the repair or replacement of a disaster-damaged dwelling to return it to a safe and habitable condition.

Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme – income-tested grants to help uninsured residents reconnect damaged services like electricity, gas, water or sewerage. Up to $5,000 per household.