Graziers urged to apply for flood aid
THE head of the Federal Government agency charged with helping North Queensland grazing communities recover from last month’s devastating floods has urged affected businesses to take up the assistance packages.
Speaking after meetings in Townsville, the CEO of the North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency, Shane Stone, said the Queensland Government bureaucracy had been “terrific” processing claims.
But he said few businesses were yet to receive assistance.
About 10 per cent of $130 million set aside to help grazing businesses re-establish herds had been taken up – where $75,000 is being provided per business unit – and some 38 entities had applied and met criteria for $50,000 small business grants.
“Part of my job is to get around and encourage people to access the various grants,” Mr Stone said. “This is about seed funding to help re-establish herds. It is not about compensation for what they have lost.”
Mr Stone said people were “very traumatised” by what had happened. He said grazing centres had also been “whacked” because their customers were “on their knees”.
Assessments of cattle losses range between 350,000 and 900,000 head.
Mr Stone said the fact that some country was still under water or inaccessible was hampering local assessments. “Some producers have not been able to get out, particularly across black soil, to make assessments,” Mr Stone said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday announced an advisory board to support the work of the agency.
Its members are Mr Stone, Tracey Hayes, former CEO of NT Cattlemen’s Association, Don Heatley OAM, former chair of Meat and Livestock Australia, Greg Campbell, Mayor of Cloncurry Shire David Galvin, former chair of Livecorp, and Daryl Quinlivan, secretary, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Mr Morrison said the advisory board would bring invaluable experience and insights to the recovery effort.
“We’re in this for the longhaul because we know the scale and time it will take to get North Queensland back on its feet after the floods,” Mr Morrison said.
“This is about bringing together the right mix of people to help guide the recovery agency over the coming months and years.”