Community recovery hub opens in Ingham

The Palaszczuk Government is continuing efforts to support Ingham residents who have been affected by recent flooding, with a local community recovery hub opening its doors today (14 March).

While visiting the town to see the damage first-hand, Communities Minister Coralee O’Rourke said the hub was located at TAFE Queensland North’s Ingham campus and it would be open daily while the community needed it.

Details of the Ingham community recovery hub are:

• TAFE Queensland North’s Ingham campus 74 Townsville Road, Ingham
• Opening hours: 8.30am – 4.30pm daily until further notice.

“Now that floodwaters have receded and roads have become more accessible, we have opened this hub to offer affected residents face-to-face help and support,” Mrs O’Rourke said.

“Residents can talk to community recovery workers here on the ground, receive referrals for community organisations and other government agencies and those who are experiencing hardship can apply for grants.

“Staff from other government agencies including Queensland Health, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, will be working at the hub to offer assistance to affected residents.

“There will also be representatives from non-government partners, such as the Red Cross and UnitingCare Queensland, on hand to provide assistance and support.”

Mrs O’Rourke said the Queensland Government now had 144 Ready Reserves currently supporting the recovery effort across North and Far North Queensland.

“Eligible applicants can still apply for one-off Emergency Hardship grants of $180 per person, up to $900 for a family of five or more,” She said.

“These grants are to assist residents to buy essential items like food, clothing and medications or to help cover the costs of alternative accommodation if they can’t live at home.

“As of this morning we have had more than 1350 grant applications and handed out almost $250,000 in grant payments.”

Other grants such the Essential Household Contents Grant and Structural Assistance Grant, which are income tested, are also available to eligible residents in activated areas who are uninsured and have experienced certain loss or damage following this disaster.

Financial assistance is available through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

For more information or to apply for grants, download the Self Recovery app, go to the Community Recovery online portal at www.communityrecovery.qld.gov.au or call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.

ENDS

Media Contact: Benjamin Mulcahy 0419 562 389