Recovery funding deadline extended

FLOOD-AFFECTED Townsville businesses will have six extra months to apply for up to $50,000 in government recovery funding.

Herbert MP Phillip Thompson announced the Federal Government had granted a six-month extension for business owners to apply for the Special Disaster Recovery Grant.

The grant provides up to $50,000 for businesses directly affected by the monsoon event to assist with the costs of cleanup and reinstatement, including those which may not be covered by insurance.

The move followed a recent roundtable with Mr Thompson and business leaders in Townsville.

Mr Thompson said he felt it was important that he follow up concerns that businesses were still waiting on a final verdict from their insurers, so weren’t able to consider applying for a grant before the August 9 deadline.

“The process for making an insurance claim has been long and drawn out, and it’s understandable that business owners have been caught between a rock and a hard place,” he said.

“It was clear from the feedback at the roundtable that the clock was ticking too quickly, and business owners needed more time for the insurance process to take its course.

“Over the past two weeks in Canberra I have had multiple conversations with the Treasurer and minister, to ask for an extension to the deadline for the grant, and I’m very grateful they have done so.”

The Federal Government has already provided more than $120 million in disaster assistance to 109,000 claimants affected by the flood.