Some farmers finally offered more flood-relief funding
Land Assistance
“Queensland farmers will be able to use disaster funding to replant destroyed crops” for the first time in the wake of devastating floods south a Cairns - a money pool not offered to Douglas Shire farmers following the devastating floods that followed Cyclone Jasper in December 2023.
Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett made the announcement in Queensland Parliament last week after visiting flood-affected growers in the Burdekin and Herbert regions.
Industry group Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables said it was thrilled to hear flood-relief payments would now be paid, knowing how vital it was to farmers having a chance to earn an income this harvest season.
“The region is heavily reliant on the success of its primary producers and the impact (from the floods) will be felt right across the towns and communities that support them,” Mr Perrett said in parliament.
“The Crisafulli Government has answered years of desperate pleas from farmers for assistance to replant crops destroyed in natural disasters.
“Growers asked, we listened. We fought for their interest.
"My department will now begin co-designing, with industry guidelines governing how replanting and reseeding can be carried out using this disaster assistance.
“We owe it to growers to ease some of the sizeable stress they are under.”
During the past, QCAR executives and representatives met with numerous politicians and authorities to advocate for a six-point plan for recovery.
Along with replanting subsidies, QCAR has been pushing for the state and federal government to approve Category D Disaster Assistance (on top of the Category C Disaster Assistance grants of $25,000 that were recently announced), funds to repair creek banks and clean drainage systems, support for the harvesting and local business sectors, help to repair the rail network to allow the industry to begin crushing this season, and more mental health support and services.
QCAR chief executive Stephen Ryan invited Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins to meet with farmers on the ground in the Herbert and Burdekin.
“Sugarcane growers are used to battling diversity, but it means the world to them when those with the power like Mr Albanese to make decisions, that can change their reality from one of uphill struggles to one of hope, spend even just enough time with them to have smoko round the kitchen table,” he said.
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