Funding to combat mould war

LOCALS battling the spread of mould can now access Commonwealth assistance if their walls, floors and ceilings have been affected by water.

As the floodwaters recede and residents begin the clean-up, residents raised concerns about the eligibility criteria to receive Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 per adult and $400 per child.

LNP candidate for Herbert Phillip Thompson said he spoke with the office of Home Affairs Assistant Minister Linda Reynolds and confirmed mould-affected houses would receive the payment.

HOMES with mouldy walls, floors and ceilings can now access vital Commonwealth assistance under further changes to relief payment red tape.

As the floodwaters recede and residents begin the mammoth clean-up, many residents raised concerns about the eligibility criteria to receive a oneoff Australian Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 per adult and $400 per child.

An online petition calling for guidelines to be changed has amassed more than 13,000 signatures in three days.

Since visiting flood-affected areas in Townsville on Tuesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has made a number of changes to the criteria to enable more residents to access the emergency funds, but people battling mould have reported they were still getting rejected.

However, LNP candidate for Herbert Phillip Thompson said he spoke with the office of Home Affairs Assistant Minister Linda Reynolds yesterday morning and confirmed mould-affected houses would receive the payment.

“If your home has been impacted by water into your wall that has caused mould, then you’re entitled to the payment,” he said.

Hundreds of houses have been damaged by fast-spreading mould on walls, ceilings and floors. Mr Thompson said he had seen the devastation caused by mould.

“The impact I’ve seen around Townsville is in a lot of different areas too, from Fairfield Waters to Kirwan, Idalia out to North Shore is the effect of mould in people’s houses is significant,” he said.

“It’s on walls, up the roof, on beds, on children’s cots, clothes and it’s a significant health risk,” he said.

“That’s why I rang Minister Reynolds’ office and why I pushed so hard to help people who have been affected.”

Mr Thompson urged people to call the Department of Human Services if they were unsure if they qualified for Commonwealth assistance.

“There is a bit of a wait time on the phone just due to the high volume of calls, but hold on to speak to someone,” he said. “You’ve been affected by water, whether it’s gone into your house or into your wall and caused mould, or gone underneath your Queenslander and wrecked your washing machines or other items you are entitled to the payment.”

So far more than 14,418 claims have been received and 10,939 of them have been paid a total of $13.5 million.