Phillip Thompson calls for collaboration on disaster recovery
Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson has set the record straight on Federal Government recovery funding following last year’s monsoon.
Mr Thompson said all Federal Government funding that had been promised has been delivered to the State Government’s Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA).
“As is the standard process in these types of events, disaster recovery packages were developed jointly by the Federal and State Governments to be distributed immediately to the people in the community who were affected by the devastating floods,” Mr Thompson said.
“All of the Federal Government’s promised funding has been paid to the State Government.
“The Federal Government provided a $109-million advance to the State Government on the 13th of February last year, just days after the disaster. This was for restoring essential services, and providing hardship grants for individuals and small businesses.
“Then in March a $242-million package was announced, covering all local government areas affected by the floods – including Townsville. The Federal Government’s 50% share of this ($121-million) was transferred to the State Government on the 8th of April,” he said.
Mr Thompson said Councils were required to express interest to the State Government’s QRA for funding, where it could be demonstrated that damage had occurred as a result of the monsoon trough flooding.
“During the expression of interest process the Townsville City Council applied for funding to the value of $98.5 million. The QRA determined that $70 million worth of work was for assets not damaged during the monsoon or were ineligible,” he said.
Further detailed submissions for Category C and D funding were only lodged by Townsville City Council in early December last year and are currently being assessed by QRA.
“The Federal Government has upheld its end of the bargain, now let’s work together to get our community back on track,” he said.
ENDS