Natural disaster assistance activated for not-for-profit and sporting groups

Emergency Services Minister, Neil Roberts has approved extension of the Natural Disaster Relief and Restoration Arrangements (NDRRA) activation to cover off on damage sustained by not-for-profit and sporting groups.

“Following strong representation from State MP for Ashgrove, Kate Jones and Federal MP for Brisbane Arch Bevis about extensive damage to places such as the St John Wood scout den, I have approved funding under the NDRRA,” Mr Roberts said.

Ms Jones said organisations such as the ones named were an important part of our community but lacked the financial resources to recover quickly from disasters.

“They perform an important role in providing social support and activities for the benefit of the whole community.

“It is therefore important that we assist them in recovering from the devastation following the storm damage caused last month,” she said.

NDRRA provides a mechanism for the Queensland Government to receive Commonwealth funding to off-set the cost of relief measures activated to assist the re-establishment of disaster affected communities. These national arrangements provide for Commonwealth/State cost sharing of a range of pre-agreed relief measures that may be activated by State Governments immediately that a need has been established.

Arrangements for providing financial assistance are in the form of grants of $5,000 and loans of $100,000 (repayable at an interest rate of 4.0 per cent per annum over seven years) for not-for-profit organisations such as churches, sporting groups, clubs annum other voluntary non-profit organisations.

The NDRRA applies to the following local government areas:

– Brisbane City Council

– Central Highlands Regional Council

– Dalby Regional Council

– Gold Coast City Council

– Ipswich City Council

– Lockyer Valley Regional Council

– Logan City Council

– Moreton Bay Regional Council

– Scenic Rim Council

– Somerset Regional Council

– Southern Downs Regional Council

– Sunshine Coast Regional Council

– Toowoomba Regional Council