IRRIGATORS CAN NOW APPLY FOR REBATES ON FIXED WATER CHARGES, SAYS WALLACE

Drought-affected Queensland irrigators will be able to submit their applications for rebates on fixed water charges from today (Wednesday, March 7), Natural Resources and Water Minister Craig Wallace said today.

Mr Wallace said QRAA (formerly the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority) would start assessing applications for the three quarterly bills already paid by irrigators since July 1, 2006.

The guidelines and application form will be on the QRAA website today – at www.qraa.qld.gov.au.

“I urge eligible irrigators to start sending their rebate applications from today,” Mr Wallace said.

“I also congratulate QRAA for beginning the acceptance of rebate applications sooner rather than later,” he said.

With the scheme running from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2008, eligible irrigators could receive several payments over the life of the scheme.

However, to reduce red tape, they will only have to make a one-off application for the whole rebate period, which runs from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2008.

The Beattie Government introduced the Irrigators Fixed Water Charges Rebate Scheme to provide rebates in areas where there is low, or has been low, water availability due to the current prolonged drought.

The scheme is part of $32.5 million over two years in drought assistance announced by the Beattie Government in December last year.

Under the scheme, eligible irrigators can receive up to $10,000 per year on invoices that are paid during the two year rebate period.

Irrigators must be a customer of SunWater (or another water service provider) or a licence water holder of the Department of Natural Resources and Water.

They must be paying fixed water charges and meet the 20% or less low water availability threshold and have paid their water charges invoices from 1 July 2006.

The rebate will be calculated on the period of time irrigators who are receiving an announced allocation of 20% or less.

In some cases, irrigators could receive a rebate of 100% of the fixed water charges due to the lack of water available in the current bill period and the previous three financial years.

To receive the rebate, irrigators must apply through QRAA and have paid their water charges invoice.

Where irrigators are suffering financial hardship and are unable to pay their water charges invoices upfront, the rebate amount will be made payable to the water service provider or Department of Natural Resources and Water with the irrigator then able to pay the balance together with the rebate provided for the fixed water charges.

Full details about the rebate and how to apply, are available on QRAA’s website www.qraa.qld.gov.au – Drought assistance – Irrigators Fixed Water Charges Rebate Scheme.

For further information on the rebate scheme, please contact QRAA on Freecall 1800 623 946.

Media inquiries: Paul Childs, Craig Wallace’s office, on 0407 131 654.