News
28 February, 2022
Disaster relief for region
Somerset and Moreton Bay regions will share in Federal Government disaster relief assistance, it was conformed today.
The revised announcement was made Monday morning, after both Somerset and Moreton Bay Regional Councils were missed in the initial announcement on Saturday afternoon.
Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said there were now 17 councils activated for jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) assistance in response to the unfolding event.
“This ongoing deluge is causing devastation across many parts of South-East Queensland and through this assistance, affected councils can have comfort in knowing they will be supported to provide their communities with the counter disaster operations required, as well as to restore vital public infrastructure like roads and bridges,” Minister McKenzie said.
This extension of DRFA assistance to those seven local government authoroties will help with their response, clean-up and then reconstruction efforts once flood waters recede and impact assessments can be undertaken.
Queensland Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Mark Ryan said this had been a phenomenal event in terms of rainfall, with more than 1,100 millimetres dropped at Mount Glorious, north-west of Brisbane, in the past few days.
“The Department of Transport and Main Roads has reported more than 1,000 roads have been closed or have restricted access and parts of the Bruce, Warrego and Cunningham highways have been cut off,” Mr Ryan said.
“Our emergency services and councils have been doing an amazing job in dangerous conditions throughout this extraordinary event. While we’re likely to see the worst yet to come, as Queenslanders we know we’ll get through this together."
More information on disaster assistance can be found on the QRA’s website.
