South Burnett Mayor Wayne Kratzmann (Photo: SBRC)

February 12, 2012

The South Burnett has been granted Category C disaster status under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

SBRC Mayor Wayne Kratzmann said he received news of the approval from Local Government Minister David Crisafulli at 7:10pm last night.

The revised grading will provide clean-up and recovery grants for primary producers of up to $25,000.

Eligible activities could include purchasing fodder, hiring contractors, clearing debris and leasing, or hiring or purchasing equipment and materials to clean premises or resume farming.

The South Burnett Regional Council, local farmers, Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott have all been agitating for the revised grading ever since the South Burnett was declared a Category B disaster zone shortly after the Australia Day weekend floods.

Last week the Council issued a public call for photographs of damaged farming properties to justify the need for an NDRRA upgrade to Canberra bureaucrats

Mayor Kratzmann said that although he’d originally hoped the revised declaration would have come through last Friday, he was still “very happy” it had come through last night.

“This upgraded NDRRA status will be of immediate help to our flood-affected farmers, who genuinely need all the assistance they can get at the moment,” he said.

“Council has been working hard over the last few days to put together information for the Federal and State government to complete this submission.

“We have worked closely with Alan Broome, the South Burnett’s Farm Financial Councillor and Damien O’Sullivan who is the South Burnett representative for DAFF.

“The Category C funding is in addition to the support and funding already available, including concessional loans of up to $250,000.

“Councillors would like to thank all of our staff, residents and organisations that helped us to collate photos and evidence of the damage done to our primary producers to get this additional funding.”

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Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington also welcomed the announcement.

She said the State Government had successfully lobbied the Federal Government.

“I have been working hard to ensure our primary producers and small businesses in the South Burnett can access these much needed grants. Flood-affected producerswill now be able to apply for recovery grants up to $25,000,” Mrs Frecklington said.

Category C grants provide for two tiers of assistance, with Tier 1 being an initial cash grant up to $5000 to allow immediate repair activities and a subsequent grant requiring proof of expenditure for larger scale works.

Primary producers should keep all receipts and invoices of expenditure and contact the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority (QRAA) on 1800-623-946 to discuss eligibility.

Deb thanked all of the industry organisations and councils which had supplied the necessary information to build a case for Category C.

“I would like to thank the South Burnett Regional Council who worked so hard to make this happen, along with our primary producers who provided the first-hand information about the severity of the flood damage.”

She said the State Government is also continuing to negotiate with the Federal Government on a range of Category D measures for the worst hit areas, including assistance with clean-up, industry and financial planning advice, employment programs and exceptional disaster loans.

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Federal Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott said he was pleased by today’s announcement the South Burnett and targeted areas in Goondiwindi, Southern Downs and Toowoomba could now apply for much needed flood-assistance funding.

 “I have been in constant contact with the Attorney-General and the local councils affected and I’m pleased these areas have been announced for Category C assistance,” Mr Scott said.

“Many businesses and families in the Maranoa were still hurting from the devastation caused by floodwaters two years ago but this new round of funding provides grants of up to $25,000 and this will help these communities get back on track.”

  • More information about how to apply for clean-up and recovery grants is available at: www.qraa.qld.gov.au

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Local Government areas eligible for Category C assistance now include:

  • Banana Regional Council (part)
  • Bundaberg Regional Council
  • Fraser Coast Regional Council
  • Gladstone Regional Council
  • Goondiwindi Regional Council (part)
  • Gympie Regional Council
  • Ipswich City Council (Division 10 only)
  • Lockyer Valley Regional Council
  • North Burnett Regional Council
  • Scenic Rim Regional Council
  • Somerset Regional Council (south of the D’Aguilar Highway)
  • South Burnett Regional Council
  • Southern Downs Regional Council (part)
  • Toowoomba Regional Council (area south and east of the Gatton-Clifton Rd, the Greenmount-Hirstville Rd, the Nobby Connection Rd, the New England Highway, the Felton-Clifton Rd, the Back Plains Rd, the Doolan Rd, and the Clifton-Pittsworth Rd).

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