Government assistance available for producers affected by bushfires

• Concessional loans up to $250,000 and freight assistance up to $5000.
• Affected primary producers can report impacts in the Disaster Impact Survey.
• You need to include date-stamped photos, which most phone cameras do automatically.

Primary producers who have been significantly impacted by Queensland’s bushfires can access disaster assistance loans and freight assistance.

Disaster Assistance Loans are available to assist primary producers with re-establishing normal operations.

These concessional loans, up to $250,000 over 10 years, assist producers in:

• repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment
• repairing or replacing farm buildings
• purchasing livestock to replace those lost in the disaster event
• meeting carry-on requirements including:

• • re-planting, restoring or re-establishing affected areas
  • sustenance
  • essential property operations
  • paying rent and rates.

An Individual Disaster Stricken Property declaration provides eligible primary producers with access to freight assistance up to $5000 to move emergency fodder for livestock to their home property; building, fencing materials, machinery and equipment; and animals purchased for restocking as a result of the disaster.

Products sourced from the Fire Ant Biosecurity Zones must comply with movement control requirements.

Other support available includes:

• Emergency hardship assistance
• Free mental health support 
• Free financial counselling
• Drought preparedness grants and loans

Primary producers who have been impacted by a natural disaster can report the impacts in the Queensland DAF Agriculture Disaster Impact Survey.

This helps determine if additional assistance is needed to support primary producers during recovery. You need to include date-stamped photos, which most phone cameras do automatically.

Disaster Assistance Loans are administered by the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) on behalf of the Queensland and Australian governments.

For information on applications and assistance, visit www.qrida.qld.gov.au or call 1800 623 946. Contact DAF on 13 25 23 for freight subsidies.

Follow Queensland Agriculture on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@DAFQld).

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Agricultural Industry Development:

“The Palaszczuk Government understands the enormity of the effect of the bushfires on our rural communities and our primary producers,” he said.

“These Disaster Assistance Loans are available to help our primary producers re-establish their operations as quickly as possible.

“I’d also like to thank the fire crews fighting blazes across the state – it’s an enormous and dangerous task and our thoughts are with you and your communities.”

ENDS

Media contact – 0417 296 116