Twenty Four Councils Eligible for Assistance under NDRRA

Twenty four councils across Queensland are now eligible to receive assistance under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) following Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Bill Byrne activating six additional councils under the program today.

The announcement comes as ongoing heavy rainfalls and flooding across the Gulf of Carpentaria and Cape York Peninsula continue to cause localised flooding.

“Earlier this week I travelled out to Western Queensland and it was great to see water in the creeks and green grass popping up along the highways,” Minister Byrne said.

“However, some communities have suffered due to the localised flooding and have been cut off to the rest of the state on and off since December 2015.

“It is critical that we provide assistance to these councils to allow them to either prepare or re-build following floods and excessive rainfall.”

The six additional councils activated under the NDRRA are Barcoo, Douglas, Hope Vale, Murweh, Quilpie and Yarrabah shire councils.

Minister Byrne said the funding through the program will help local councils with the costs of protecting their communities through things such as sandbagging, clean-up operations and repairing damage to essential infrastructure as quickly as possible.

Queensland councils now activated under the NDRRA are Aurukun, Barcoo, Boulia, Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Cook, Croydon, Doomadgee, Douglas, Etheridge, Flinders, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, McKinlay, Mornington, Mount Isa, Murweh, Napranum, Pormpuraaw, Quilpie, Richmond, Winton and Yarrabah.

Information regarding the assistance available can be found on the Queensland Government’s Disaster Management website at www.disaster.qld.gov.au and on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au

ENDS

Media Contact: Michelle Connolly 0478 325 738