Water fees waived for TC Debbie survivors

THE Queensland Government is extending more assistance to the state’s farmers facing hardship in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Debbie, waiving annual water licence fees to help ease the financial burden.

Minister for State Development and Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham said a significant portion of Queensland’s coastal and inland areas were affected by Tropical Cyclone Debbie and the subsequent rain depression that followed.

“This resulted in significant impacts to a number of landholders and their associated infrastructure,” Dr Lynham said.

The waiver will apply to annual water licence fees from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2018, for more than 5000 water licences in the following local government areas. Banana Shire Council Central Highlands Regional Council

Gladstone Regional Council

Gold Coast City Council Isaac Regional Council Livingstone Shire Council Lockyer Valley Regional Council

Logan City Council Mackay Regional Council North Burnett Regional Council

Rockhampton Regional Council

Scenic Rim Regional Council

Whitsunday Regional Council and

Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire Council.

“This fee waiver complements the range of disaster relief assistance already announced by the Palaszczuk Government under the Commonwealth and State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements. We acknowledge that many landholders are doing it tough, and we are doing everything we can to help ease this burden,” Dr Lynham said.

Visit www.dnrm.qld.gov.au, or call 13 QGOV (13 74 68) for more information.