Grants now available for Goondiwindi Region primary producers and small businesses impacted by December floods

Goondiwindi Regional Council is encouraging local primary producers and small businesses impacted by the December 2021 floods to apply for new financial assistance of up to $50,000.

Primary producers can apply for extraordinary assistance grants of up to $50,000, while other small businesses may be eligible for up to $25,000 to assist with the costs of clean-up and the reinstatement of their business.

Primary producers can apply for funding here: https://www.qrida.qld.gov.au/program/special-disaster-assistance-recovery-grants-central-southern-and-western-qld-producers

Small businesses can apply for funding here: https://qrida.qld.gov.au/program/special-disaster-assistance-recovery-grants-central-southern-and-western-qld-business#-Business

Applications close on 30 June 2022. Council is encouraging affected producers and small businesses to put their applications in as soon as possible to kick-start their recovery and help local communities get back on their feet.

The funding is available under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), which is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments.

Mayor of the Goondiwindi Region the Honourable Cr Lawrence Springborg AM has welcomed the DRFA funding extension, and said the financial support would be a welcome relief to affected residents facing a difficult start to the new year.

“The residents of the Goondiwindi Region are certainly no stranger to floodwaters, but the destruction we have endured across the region as a result of the December flood event has been significant and widespread,” the Mayor said.

“In and around Inglewood in particular, flood levels reached heights that inundated homes and businesses. Elsewhere in the region, after what looked to be a bumper season, local growers could not harvest their crops and early plantings were wiped out by floodwaters.”

The DRFA funding may go towards the costs to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace fencing and other costs associated with the recovery process.

Producers and businesses should take photographs of the direct damage to accompany their application.

“On the back of seven years of drought and more recently, two long years of border restrictions, these floods just could not have come at a worse time,” Cr Springborg said. “Many of our hard-working producers and small businesses were left with their livelihoods underwater - and facing a massive recovery job - right before the holidays.

“This assistance will be absolutely vital to getting those businesses back on their feet, and I encourage residents to put their applications in as soon as they’re able to.”

Additional disaster assistance is already available to Goondiwindi Region residents. This includes Disaster Assistance Loans of up to $250,000 to assist with re-establishing the normal operations of primary production or small business enterprises, and Disaster Assistance Loans (Essential Working Capital) of up to $100,000 concessional loans to assist with essential working capital for expenses for primary production or small business enterprises.

For more information, visit www.qrida.qld.gov.au or freecall 1800 623 946. For more information about disaster assistance, visit www.disasterassist.gov.au and www.qra.qld.gov.au.