The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has welcomed the transition of the North Queensland Livestock Industry Recovery Agency (NQLIRA) to its new phase as an Executive Agency.
Established in March this year to assist with the immediate response, recovery and reconstruction of the North, Far North and Western Queensland communities following heavy rainfall and wide-spread flooding, the new role of NQLIRA will see it continue to support a range of initiatives across primary production, land management, education, mental health, infrastructure and community resilience.
The Agency represents the Government’s long-term commitment to rebuild the region long after the flood waters have receded.
Chief Executive of NQLIRA, Shane Stone said the Agency had already helped more than 1,200 primary producers and over 560 small businesses and not-for-profits access grants to get back to business following the flooding,
Mr Stone said more than $3.3 billion had been paid or committed to assist affected people, businesses and communities.
He said this included more than $70.8 million paid to 1,261 primary producers in Special Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants; $300 million allocated for North Queensland Restocking, Replanting and On-farm Infrastructure Grants; and almost $7.4 million paid to small businesses and not-for-profit organisations in Special Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants.
In addition, more than $112 million had been paid to more than 96,000 applicants under the Commonwealth’s Disaster Recovery Payment and Disaster Recovery Allowance, and $4 million had been paid to non-Government and boarding schools with significant numbers of students from flood-affected areas.
The Agency’s website can be accessed at this PS News link.
