Feb2011 CAROLYNs PINE RIVERS NEWS
State Member for Pine Rivers
I am sure everyone will join with me in thanking Dayboro Police Officers Ken Robinson and Troy Nowitzki for all of their hard work and dedication and also congratulate them on how they dealt with the flooding in the Dayboro region. Thank you also to everyone else involved.
It is truly devastating to see the damage caused by the floodwaters to homes, businesses, sporting clubs and primary producers in the Dayboro region and the rest of Queensland.
It is times like this that you realise how important it is that everyone in the community pitches in and helps others who need assistance. Whether it is cleaning up, donating goods or money or simply being there to provide a cuppa and have a chat about the affect it is having on them, their family or business.
I have been heartened to see the outpouring of support from Pine Rivers residents as we rush to assist others who were not so fortunate.
The flood recovery effort is going to take many months as major infrastructure is repaired, homes and businesses are rebuilt, and as people grieve for those they have lost.
We now face a reconstruction task of post-war proportions. And we face that task with the steely determination it will require to overcome the destruction these floods have left behind.
The Premier has said that this weather may have broken our hearts but it will not break our will and in the coming weeks and in the coming months we are going to prove that beyond any doubt. If we all pull together, we will achieve the mighty task ahead of us.
Just in case you have not received information in relation to assistance I have included the following information:
Financial assistance
As the Moreton Bay Region has been declared a natural disaster area you may be eligible for:
Personal Hardship Assistance
Essential Household Contents Grant
Structural Assistance Grant
Other financial assistance
When making a claim for assistance please make sure you have:
drivers licence or ID card
Medicare card showing members of your family, and
recent rates notice or electricity account showing your address.
Personal Hardship Assistance Grant
Personal Hardship Assistance may be available to individuals and families who do not have the capacity to meet immediate, unexpected basic costs for food, clothing, medical supplies or accommodation caused by the disaster.
This grant is a non-means tested once-off payment of $170 per person, up to a maximum of $850 for a family of five or more.
Personal Hardship Assistance are not means tested, however if you are seeking assistance you will need to establish that you have experienced, or will experience, personal hardship as a result of the disaster.
Individuals and families can express an interest in this grant by calling 1800 173 349
Eligibility for an Essential Household Contents Grant or a Structural Assistance Grant
The Essential Household Contents and Structural Assistance grants are means tested and will need to satisfy income and asset tests for these grants.
Income and asset tests are as follows:
Upper income limits:
Individual: $704/week + $51 for each dependent
Couple: $930/week + $51 for each dependent
Upper asset limits:
Pensioners: $25,101
Others: $6,135
Applications will be assessed on a case by case basis and you will need to discuss your eligibility for these grants with officers from the Department of Communities.
Essential Household Contents Grant
An Essential Household Contents Grant may be available to people whose own essential household contents that have been lost or damaged in the disaster and who do not have contents insurance.
This grant is a means tested once-off payment of up to $1,705 per adult, up to a maximum of $5,120 for a couple/family.
Eligible household contents may include cooking utensils, clothing, bedding and linen, floor coverings, essential furniture and white goods and food lost due to storm damage. The grant assists with the repair or replacement of essential items and maximum limits apply for individual items.
An income test will be applied to applications for this grant. If you are eligible, departmental officers will visit your home, to assess the damage and to complete an application form with you.
You can apply for this grant by calling 1800 173 349.
Structural Assistance Grant
A Structural Assistance Grant may be available to property owners whose home has been damaged by the disaster. The home must be uninsured for this disaster event, owned by the applicant and their sole place of residence at the time of the disaster. The grant provides a contribution towards repair of the residence to a habitable and secure condition.
This grant is a means tested once-off payment of up to $10,500 per individual, and up to $14,200 for a couple/family, less amounts paid as an Emergent Assistance Grant and/or Essential Household Contents Grant.
An income and assets test will be applied to applications for this grant. If you are eligible, departmental officers will visit your home to assess the damage and to complete an application form with you.
You can apply for this grant by calling 1800 173 349.
Other financial assistance
Financial assistance may also be available through other government agencies as follows:
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per child is available to eligible people adversely affected by the Queensland flooding. Centrelink also has a Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy and a range of other payments and services to support people in an emergency or crisis, whether or not you are already a Centrelink customer. There is also a Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy to assist employees, small business persons, and farmers who have had a loss of income as a direct result of the flood and severe weather that began from 29 November 2010 and continued to January 2011. For more information, visit the Centrelink website http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/emergency/severe_weather_dec10.htm or call the Emergency Assistance Hotline on 180 2266.
Freight subsidies of up to $5000 per disaster event are available for eligible primary producers located within a disaster-declared area under joint Commonwealth/State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). For more information, visit http://www.business.qld.gov.au/risk-management/flood-assistance.html or telephone 132 523.
Low interest rate loans of up to $250,000 for eligible primary producers and small businesses located within a disaster-declared area can be obtained through QRAA (Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority). For more information, visit http://www.qraa.qld.gov.au or freecall 1800 623 946.
Grants up to $25,000 are available for primary producers and small businesses to pay for costs arising out of damage caused by the November and December flood crisis. Assistance is provided through an initial claim of up to $5,000 to assist with immediate early recovery and subsequent claim of up to $20,000 to repair direct flood damage. The maximum amount available under the scheme is $25,000. For more information visit http://www.qraa.qld.gov.au or freecall 1800 623 946.
Sport and Recreation Services Disaster Recovery Program is funding to assist the repair of sport and recreation infrastructure damaged by flooding. For more information phone 5458 7100.
Please do not hesitate to call me if I can assist with any additional information or assistance.
Update on the AJ Wyllie Bridge at Petrie
I have been advised by Main Roads that the lower bridge has sustained substantial damage and will be closed for vehicular traffic for some months. However, pedestrians and cyclists will be allowed to continue to use it.
Main Roads are undertaking repairs to the higher bridge and they believe that it should open for two way traffic by Wednesday 26 January.
I have been working proactively with SEQ Water to limit releases from the North Pine Dam so that it does not affect peak travel times for traffic using Youngs Crossing. However, if there is rain in the dam catchment this may change.
The Department of Transport School Transport section have been in contact with school bus operators in the area to advise them of this information.
I have been heartened to see the outpouring of support from Pine Rivers residents as we rush to assist others who were not so fortunate.
The flood recovery effort is going to take many months as major infrastructure is repaired, homes and businesses are rebuilt, and as people grieve for those they have lost.
We now face a reconstruction task of post-war proportions. And we face that task with the steely determination it will require to overcome the destruction these floods have left behind.
The Premier has said that this weather may have broken our hearts but it will not break our will and in the coming weeks and in the coming months we are going to prove that beyond any doubt. If we all pull together, we will achieve the mighty task ahead of us.
Just in case you have not received information in relation to assistance I have included the following information:
Financial assistance
As the Moreton Bay Region has been declared a natural disaster area you may be eligible for:
Personal Hardship Assistance
Essential Household Contents Grant
Structural Assistance Grant
Other financial assistance
When making a claim for assistance please make sure you have:
drivers licence or ID card
Medicare card showing members of your family, and
recent rates notice or electricity account showing your address.
Personal Hardship Assistance Grant
Personal Hardship Assistance may be available to individuals and families who do not have the capacity to meet immediate, unexpected basic costs for food, clothing, medical supplies or accommodation caused by the disaster.
This grant is a non-means tested once-off payment of $170 per person, up to a maximum of $850 for a family of five or more.
Personal Hardship Assistance are not means tested, however if you are seeking assistance you will need to establish that you have experienced, or will experience, personal hardship as a result of the disaster.
Individuals and families can express an interest in this grant by calling 1800 173 349
Eligibility for an Essential Household Contents Grant or a Structural Assistance Grant
The Essential Household Contents and Structural Assistance grants are means tested and will need to satisfy income and asset tests for these grants.
Income and asset tests are as follows:
Upper income limits:
Individual: $704/week + $51 for each dependent
Couple: $930/week + $51 for each dependent
Upper asset limits:
Pensioners: $25,101
Others: $6,135
Applications will be assessed on a case by case basis and you will need to discuss your eligibility for these grants with officers from the Department of Communities.
Essential Household Contents Grant
An Essential Household Contents Grant may be available to people whose own essential household contents that have been lost or damaged in the disaster and who do not have contents insurance.
This grant is a means tested once-off payment of up to $1,705 per adult, up to a maximum of $5,120 for a couple/family.
Eligible household contents may include cooking utensils, clothing, bedding and linen, floor coverings, essential furniture and white goods and food lost due to storm damage. The grant assists with the repair or replacement of essential items and maximum limits apply for individual items.
An income test will be applied to applications for this grant. If you are eligible, departmental officers will visit your home, to assess the damage and to complete an application form with you.
You can apply for this grant by calling 1800 173 349.
Structural Assistance Grant
A Structural Assistance Grant may be available to property owners whose home has been damaged by the disaster. The home must be uninsured for this disaster event, owned by the applicant and their sole place of residence at the time of the disaster. The grant provides a contribution towards repair of the residence to a habitable and secure condition.
This grant is a means tested once-off payment of up to $10,500 per individual, and up to $14,200 for a couple/family, less amounts paid as an Emergent Assistance Grant and/or Essential Household Contents Grant.
An income and assets test will be applied to applications for this grant. If you are eligible, departmental officers will visit your home to assess the damage and to complete an application form with you.
You can apply for this grant by calling 1800 173 349.
Other financial assistance
Financial assistance may also be available through other government agencies as follows:
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per child is available to eligible people adversely affected by the Queensland flooding. Centrelink also has a Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy and a range of other payments and services to support people in an emergency or crisis, whether or not you are already a Centrelink customer. There is also a Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy to assist employees, small business persons, and farmers who have had a loss of income as a direct result of the flood and severe weather that began from 29 November 2010 and continued to January 2011. For more information, visit the Centrelink website http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/emergency/severe_weather_dec10.htm or call the Emergency Assistance Hotline on 180 2266.
Freight subsidies of up to $5000 per disaster event are available for eligible primary producers located within a disaster-declared area under joint Commonwealth/State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). For more information, visit http://www.business.qld.gov.au/risk-management/flood-assistance.html or telephone 132 523.
Low interest rate loans of up to $250,000 for eligible primary producers and small businesses located within a disaster-declared area can be obtained through QRAA (Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority). For more information, visit http://www.qraa.qld.gov.au or freecall 1800 623 946.
Grants up to $25,000 are available for primary producers and small businesses to pay for costs arising out of damage caused by the November and December flood crisis. Assistance is provided through an initial claim of up to $5,000 to assist with immediate early recovery and subsequent claim of up to $20,000 to repair direct flood damage. The maximum amount available under the scheme is $25,000. For more information visit http://www.qraa.qld.gov.au or freecall 1800 623 946.
Sport and Recreation Services Disaster Recovery Program is funding to assist the repair of sport and recreation infrastructure damaged by flooding. For more information phone 5458 7100.
Please do not hesitate to call me if I can assist with any additional information or assistance.
Update on the AJ Wyllie Bridge at Petrie
I have been advised by Main Roads that the lower bridge has sustained substantial damage and will be closed for vehicular traffic for some months. However, pedestrians and cyclists will be allowed to continue to use it.
Main Roads are undertaking repairs to the higher bridge and they believe that it should open for two way traffic by Wednesday 26 January.
I have been working proactively with SEQ Water to limit releases from the North Pine Dam so that it does not affect peak travel times for traffic using Youngs Crossing. However, if there is rain in the dam catchment this may change.
The Department of Transport School Transport section have been in contact with school bus operators in the area to advise them of this information.
Carolyn.
