Federal support expands in region

FEDERAL disaster funding has been extended to more Cape York councils coping with the effects of widespread storms and flooding last month.

Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements are now in place for the Cook, Hope Vale, Lockhart River, Napranum, Torres and Wujal Wujal local governments.

Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch said major damage was caused to infrastructure across the communities in the heavy rain and flash flooding.

“Several communities were inundated and cut off after rainfalls of up to 500mm was recorded across large parts of the Cape,” he said.

“The full scale of damage in some communities is still unknown due to inaccessibility.”

Mr Entsch said personal hardship and distress assistance would be made available to people living at Aurukun, Cook, Hope Vale, Lockhart River, Mornington, Napranum, Northern Peninsula Area, Torres, Torres Strait Island and Wujal Wujal local government areas.

“This assistance will help towards the resupply of emergency food and water to affected residents and provide temporary accommodation to locals whose homes were affected by flooding,” Mr Entsch said.

“Counsellors will be made available to provide counselling for individuals and families to alleviate personal hardship and distress arising as a direct result of the disaster.”

Mr Entsch will travel to several of the affected communities next week to see first-hand how the recovery effort is progressing.

“These communities often feel left out due to their remoteness, so it is great to see the Federal Government stepup to the plate when they need it the most,” he said.