South East Queensland Flood Recovery Grants
In late February and March 2022, the Australian east coast was battered by severe floods, impacting 22 local government areas and 8 cities in Queensland. Federal, State and Local Governments have announced numerous grants to help flood-affected Queenslanders get back on their feet. These grants are aimed at aiding community recovery in the short to mid-term with Major-General Jake Ellwoord coordinating large-scale recovery operations.
A list of government grants is outlined below.
Federal Government Grants
Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA)
The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is a short-term income support payment to assist individuals who can demonstrate that their income has been affected as a direct result of a disaster. This allowance is available to employees, sole traders and primary producers.
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
Individuals in Local Government Area’s areas that have been impacted by the flood can apply for a lump-sum payment of $1000 (or $400 for each dependant child younger than 16). To be eligible the applicant (or the dependant child they are a principal carer for) must have been seriously injured or have major damage to their home caused by the floods. Applicants have until 3rd September 2022 to apply for the grant.
Queensland State Government Grants
The Emergency Hardship Assistance Grant is available to support people directly impacted by the floods to help them meet their immediate essential needs for food, clothing, medical supplies or temporary accommodation. Applicants can receive up to $180 per person up to $900 for a family of 5 or more. The grant is initially available to claim for 7 days following the activation of the grant in your area.
Essential Services Hardship Assistance
This grant is available to support people directly impacted by the floods to meet their immediate needs where they have experienced loss of one or more essential services (e.g. electricity or water) for more than 5 days.
If deemed eligible, applicants may receive $150 per person, up to $750 for a family of 5 or more. The grant is initially available to claim for 7 days following the activation of the grant.
Sport and Recreation Disaster Recovery Program
Funding of up to $5,000 is available for eligible sporting and community clubs and organisations to assist with clean-up, repair or replacement of damaged infrastructure or equipment as well as for any other costs associated with the recovery process. Additional funding support will be available soon following the announcement of jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. This includes funding of up to $20,000 for eligible sporting and community clubs and organisations.
Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants
Grants of up to $50,000 are available for affected non-profit organisations to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, repair or replace damaged infrastructure or goods and other costs associated with the recovery process. Applicants need to show they are an eligible non-profit organisation, within the declared disaster area and demonstrate they have suffered direct impact from the disaster.
School’s Disaster Recovery Fund
This is an ongoing grant to assist schools with the cost of recovering from a serious disruption caused by an event that requires a coordinated response by the state.
There are three means-tested grants available for homes that are uninsured or unable to claim insurance.
Essential Household Contents Grant
A one-off payment towards replacing or repairing essential household contents. Up to $1,765 for single adults and up to $5,300 for couples/families.
A one-off payment towards repairs to the applicant’s home (owner/occupied households) to make it secure and safe. Up to $10,995 for single adults and up to $14,685 for couples/families. This grant is not available for repairs to investment properties, such as holiday houses or rental properties
Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme
This grant aims to help applicants reconnect essential services that were damaged by the floods.
There are 2 parts to the grant:
- Inspection: up to $200 towards a safety inspection for each essential service needing reconnection (electricity, gas, water and sewerage or septic system)
- Repair: up to $4200 towards repair work to enable essential services to be reconnected (for example, electrical rewiring).
Small Business Grants
Businesses’ may be eligible for the following grants:
Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants
Grants of up to $50,000 are available for impacted small businesses following the South East Queensland Rainfall and Flooding to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace or repair damaged infrastructure and stock.
Applicants need to show they are an eligible small business, within the defined disaster area and demonstrate they have suffered direct impact from the disaster.
Disaster Assistance Loans are available to assist primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations with re-establishing normal operations. A maximum of $250,000 can be borrowed.
Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loans are also available to assist primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations with essential working capital for expenses. A maximum of $100,000 Concessional loans can be borrowed to assist with essential working capital for expenses such as:
- paying salaries or wages
- paying creditors
- paying rent or rates
- buying goods, including for example, fuel essential to carry on the small business.
Local Council
The Council has supported the creation of a $1 million Moreton Bay Recovery Fund. The Council has stated that it is continuing “to assess the damage in the community, guidelines are being developed and will be released shortly”.
Council Rates Rebate
A $250 rates rebate is available for flooded residents and businesses on their quarterly rates bill. Affected individuals in Brisbane City Council will have to apply for the rebate. In the Logan City Council, the rebate will automatically be applied to the household’s next rates notice.
Brisbane City Council Community Facility Disaster Relief Grants
Community organisations and sporting clubs operating from a Council leased or licensed community facility impacted by flooding are eligible for a $5000 payment to assist with clean up and making facilities safe. This is separate from the State Government’s Sport and Recreation Disaster Recovery Programme.
Logan City Council has released numerous initiatives to assist flood-impacted households including interest-free payment plans and council grants for clubs and social enterprises that are helping flood-impacted residents. More information is available here.
For more information, please contact Hawker Britton’s Queensland Director Elliot Stein on +61 431 744 115.