Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor, Cr Peter Blundell and Nick Edols, Economic Development Officer took time last week to meet with farmers in the Glengallan Valley to hear their concerns regarding the allocation of flood funding assistance levels.
More than 40 farmers attended the meeting at Glengallan Homestead for the purpose of improving their chance of getting better assistance for farmers affected by the flooding.
Mr Richard Routley, Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF) and Mr Ross Ballin also from DAFF, attended at short notice at the initiative of Council’s Economic Development
Unit who worked with producers to organise the meeting and a field trip to view the flood damage first-hand.
Mr Routley advised the group that, to achieve Category C assistance, 33 per cent of producers within a designated area would need to be affected, with a 20 per cent loss of total gross value of annual production.
They would also need to prove that their production is at risk of disruption beyond the current season.
Mr Routley advised that DAFF can assist
with assessments but that the best thing producers could do was to gather as much supporting evidence as possible for their claim, including costs to repair and re-establish equipment and properties, together with photos of the damage caused.
Council’s EDU has prepared a flood survey form to assist producers with these requirements, which they planned to distribute to all attendees at the meeting.
Following the meeting, some of the farmers escorted the Mayor, Mr Edols, Mr Routley and Mr Ballin on a tour of some of the most flood-affected properties in the Valley area.
“The damage to these properties is immense,” stated the Mayor.
“In some cases, no matter which way you look, there is devastation as far as the eye can see,” he added.
“Council’s EDU team is available to assist the farmers with putting together the information for DAFF to submit a case to the Commonwealth Government to upgrade the assistance to Category C,” said the Mayor.
“The EDU also provides support for existing businesses and primary producers to access programs and services aimed at disaster recovery and to build resilience.
“This will hopefully go some way to helping these farmers on the road to recovery.”
For information or assistance, please contact Mr Nick Edols or Ms Diane Anstee, SDRC Economic Development Officers on 4661 0300 or nick.edols@southerndowns.qld.gov.au and diane.anstee@southerndowns.qld.gov.au .
There are also other avenues of assistance which may be available.
