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Wednesday, Mar 12, 2025
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Disaster Support Announced for Residents Affected by Cyclone Alfred in Queensland and NSW
Federal and state assistance programs launched for those impacted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, with income support and emergency grants available.
Residents of southeast Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) who have been affected by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred can now apply for federal and state assistance, as announced by the federal government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated on Monday that eligible workers and sole traders in the impacted regions are entitled to receive income support for a period of up to 13 weeks through the disaster recovery allowance scheme.
The Prime Minister expressed solidarity with the affected communities, stating, "My message to these communities in this difficult time is we've got your back and will support you through the recovery." Applications for the disaster recovery allowance are set to open at 2pm AEDT on Tuesday.
Interested individuals can verify their eligibility by accessing the myGov platform or the Services Australia website.
The disaster recovery allowance serves as a federal payment intended to provide support to individuals who have suffered a loss of income due to the disaster.
It is available for anyone aged 16 years or older and is distributed as a fortnightly payment equivalent to either the JobSeeker rate or the Youth Allowance rate for up to 13 weeks starting from the date income loss commenced.
As of Monday, over 238,000 households and businesses were reported to be without power as Cyclone Alfred caused significant rainfall across large sections of southeast Queensland and northern NSW.
Flash flooding alerts have been issued for coastal areas, particularly impacting the Brisbane, Gold Coast, Logan, and Ipswich council regions.
In northern NSW, ongoing rainfall has led to road closures, with authorities advising residents against driving through flooded areas.
According to Albanese, 31 local government areas have been directly affected by the cyclone across both states.
In addition to the disaster recovery allowance, further assistance is imminent.
The Prime Minister and Queensland Premier David Crisafulli are expected to soon announce a jointly funded support initiative aimed at those impacted by Cyclone Alfred.
The Queensland government is also managing the personal hardship assistance scheme for residents in the Logan, Gold Coast City, and Redlands City council areas.
This program provides grants to eligible individuals for emergency expenses, including food, clothing, medicine, the replacement of damaged household goods, and service reconnections.
Emergency hardship assistance grants can amount to $180 for individuals and up to $900 for families with five or more members.
Furthermore, there is a specific essential services hardship assistance grant available to assist with necessities such as power, gas, water, and sewage, paying $150 for individuals and up to $750 for larger families.
Other available payments include the Essential Household Contents Grant, the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme, and the Structural Assistance Grant.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated on Monday that eligible workers and sole traders in the impacted regions are entitled to receive income support for a period of up to 13 weeks through the disaster recovery allowance scheme.
The Prime Minister expressed solidarity with the affected communities, stating, "My message to these communities in this difficult time is we've got your back and will support you through the recovery." Applications for the disaster recovery allowance are set to open at 2pm AEDT on Tuesday.
Interested individuals can verify their eligibility by accessing the myGov platform or the Services Australia website.
The disaster recovery allowance serves as a federal payment intended to provide support to individuals who have suffered a loss of income due to the disaster.
It is available for anyone aged 16 years or older and is distributed as a fortnightly payment equivalent to either the JobSeeker rate or the Youth Allowance rate for up to 13 weeks starting from the date income loss commenced.
As of Monday, over 238,000 households and businesses were reported to be without power as Cyclone Alfred caused significant rainfall across large sections of southeast Queensland and northern NSW.
Flash flooding alerts have been issued for coastal areas, particularly impacting the Brisbane, Gold Coast, Logan, and Ipswich council regions.
In northern NSW, ongoing rainfall has led to road closures, with authorities advising residents against driving through flooded areas.
According to Albanese, 31 local government areas have been directly affected by the cyclone across both states.
In addition to the disaster recovery allowance, further assistance is imminent.
The Prime Minister and Queensland Premier David Crisafulli are expected to soon announce a jointly funded support initiative aimed at those impacted by Cyclone Alfred.
The Queensland government is also managing the personal hardship assistance scheme for residents in the Logan, Gold Coast City, and Redlands City council areas.
This program provides grants to eligible individuals for emergency expenses, including food, clothing, medicine, the replacement of damaged household goods, and service reconnections.
Emergency hardship assistance grants can amount to $180 for individuals and up to $900 for families with five or more members.
Furthermore, there is a specific essential services hardship assistance grant available to assist with necessities such as power, gas, water, and sewage, paying $150 for individuals and up to $750 for larger families.
Other available payments include the Essential Household Contents Grant, the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme, and the Structural Assistance Grant.
