Flood affected north and north-west small businesses to receive disaster assistance following widespread monsoon trough

Disaster loans have been activated to aid recovery efforts for impacted small businesses in flood ravaged north and north-west Queensland.

Eligible small businesses in 13 local government areas can access low interest loans up to $250,000 to help cover costs associated with disaster recovery activities and up to $100,000 to help maintain operations.

Assistance is available in the LGAs of Burke, Carpentaria, Cassowary Coast, Cloncurry, Croydon, Flinders, McKinlay, Mount Isa, Palm Island, Richmond, Townsville, Winton, and Yarrabah.

Support is in response to widespread flooding caused by a monsoon trough that dumped heavy rains across northern Queensland over the Christmas and new year period.

Concessional loans provide eligible businesses up to $250,000 to repair or replace damaged assets like plant and equipment, to repair premises, or to replace stock and maintain liquidity.

Additionally, businesses can apply for Essential Working Capital Loans up to $100,000 to sustain operations, including paying wages, rents or rates, or purchasing goods like fuel that are necessary for business to continue.

In further good news for the flood hit region, disaster support has also been extended to primary producers in Winton Shire, and two more councils have been activated for assistance. 

Eligible primary producers in Winton can now access disaster loans up to $250,000 and freight subsidies up to $5,000, while Doomadgee and Etheridge Councils will be supported with their counter disaster operations and essential asset repairs.

This brings the total number of north and north-west Queensland LGAs activated for DRFA assistance in response to the North Queensland Monsoon Trough to 15.

All financial support is funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

For disaster loan information and applications, small businesses and primary producers can visit www.qrida.qld.gov.au or phone 1800 623 946.

A full list of activated LGAs and support is available on the Activations page of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority website.