State Disaster Relief Assistance activated for storm damage

The Queensland Government has activated State Disaster Relief Assistance (SDRA) for people affected by damaging storms in the last 48 hours.

Visiting Emerald to inspect damage this afternoon, Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts formally activated SDRA for 26 local government areas.

Those areas are Bauhinia, Beaudesert, Belyando, Biggenden, Boonah, Caboolture, Duaringa, Eidsvold, Emerald, Esk, Gayndah, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Jericho, Kilcoy, Kilkivan, Kolan, Logan, Maryborough, Mundubbera, Murgon, Perry, Pine Rivers, Redcliffe, Wondai and Woocoo.

Mr Roberts, who toured Gayndah and Emerald with Members for Fitzroy, Jim Pearce, and Gregory, Vaughan Johnson, said the SDRA assistance was in two forms.

"Firstly, there is personal hardship assistance through the Disaster Relief Assistance Scheme which is administered by the Department of Communities. This includes emergency grants of $160 per person and up to $740 per family for essentials such as food, dry clothes and accommodation."

"Further assistance is available for building and contents repair and replacement. It is means tested. Maximum assistance is $9800 for individuals and $13200 for couples or families."

"The other form of assistance is for the reimbursement costs for local councils extraordinary disaster management costs such as tarps, machinery hire and private debris clean-up. This support is available under SDRA and it is administered by the Department of Emergency Services' Emergency Management Queensland."

Communities Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said while there was a lot of physical storm damage it was important to ensure assistance was available to Queenslanders in dire need to get them through the immediate emergency.

"A team of staff will be on the ground this afternoon in Emerald to meet Emergency Services, the Council and Lifeline to start the assessment process to make sure people enduring personal hardship have access to food, cover and support," she said.

"Tomorrow, there'll be two teams in place on the ground in Gayndah, with one based at the local youth service in town and the other acting as a mobile outreach team."

People in need of assistance in Emerald can call the Department of Communities office in Rockhampton on 4938 6996. For those in Gayndah, please call the department's Wide Bay Burnett office on 4125 9398.

Mr Roberts paid tribute to the tireless work of the State Emergency Services volunteers.

"SES crew from across the regions have been working around the clock to help residents. In Gayndah, the SES office was severely damaged by the storm and they have temporarily moved to the local fire station."

The Department of Emergency Services is assessing whether the joint Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements activated.

Media contact: Kirby Anderson 07 3247 8194, 0418 197 350.

Brendan Connell 07 3247 8992, 0437 837 976