More assistance for flooded Queensland communities

21 March 2023

More assistance is being rolled out to Queensland communities severely affected by the ongoing monsoon floods.

  • Personal Hardship Assistance measures have now been extended to Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire Council and the entire Boulia region.
  • Impacted residents can apply for Structural Assistance Grants; Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme; Personal Hardship Assistance; and;  Essential Household Contents Grant
  • Assistance is being jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Support for councils has also been extended to Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council and Isaac Regional Council, to help with the costs of sandbagging and debris clean-up, and assistance to repair roads and bridges damaged by the floods.

Flood recovery is complex and challenging in remote areas, particularly when roads and infrastructure are impacted and damaged.

All levels of government continue to work extremely cooperatively to roll out a range of assistance as quickly and efficiently as possible.

These assistance measures are designed to give affected local governments, households and families the support they need when the flood waters have receded, and the clean-up begins.

Under the measures, impacted residents can apply for:

  • Structural Assistance Grants - up to $50,000 for uninsured, low income, owner-occupiers to help repair the home to make it safe, secure and habitable.
  • Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme - means-tested relief grants to help uninsured residents to reconnect essential services that have been damaged such as electricity, gas and water.
  • Personal Hardship Assistance - $180 per individual or up to $900 for a family of five to cover immediate emergency costs such as food, clothing and medicine. 
  • Essential Household Contents Grant - up to $1,765 for individuals and up to $5,300 for couples or families to replace essential lost household contents, such as bed linen and white goods.

All flood-affected residents are encouraged to call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349 or visit www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp to check their eligibility and other avenues of support.