Federal Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce, and Shadow Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Ross Cadell, are calling for expanded access to Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements following March’s flood event.
Mr Boyce said communities across the Flynn electorate urgently need additional support to recover.
“While I welcome the activation of Personal Hardship Assistance for targeted parts of Bundaberg and the entire Banana Shire, this support must be expanded to other affected local government areas,” Mr Boyce said.
“These areas include Gladstone Regional Council, Rockhampton Regional Council, Central Highlands Regional Council, North Burnett Regional Council and South Burnett Regional Council.
“Communities such as Baffle Creek in the Gladstone region have been cut off for days. Residents have told me they’ve had to purchase food and medications which SES volunteers have transported by boat.
“Our communities need support now and they deserve timely access to disaster assistance so they can begin the recovery process.”
Nationals Senator for New South Wales and Shadow Minister for Emergency Management, Ross Cadell, said the call to expand access to Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements was a common sense one that would see crucial funds reach the communities most in need.
“In the same way that natural disasters do not follow local government boundaries, we must be willing to adapt with a level of flexibility to ensure affected communities are supported,” Senator Cadell said.
“I have written to the Minister for Emergency Management requesting the arrangements be extended to include an additional five council areas.
“This week’s major flooding event has caused great disruption to our communities with many still isolated by swollen rivers.
“As the recovery continues, I’ll be continuing to call for additional support where it is identified by the people on the ground.”