Residents in fourteen suburbs across the Noosa Shire are now eligible for Personal Hardship Assistance following severe storms that impacted the region. Additionally, four localities in the Moreton Bay area can also access this support, raising the total number of eligible suburbs in the Moreton council area to 65. Households can apply for funding to address emergency recovery needs, such as replacing spoiled food and other essential items.
The hardship assistance is part of the response to hailstorms that occurred last week and is available to eligible residents in Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redland, and Sunshine Coast. This initiative is funded under the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Details of the Assistance Program
The activated suburbs in Noosa include: Boreen Point, Como, Cooran, Cooroibah, Cootharaba, Doonan, Kin Kin, Lake Macdonald, Noosa North Shore, Peregian Beach, Pinbarren, Ridgewood, Ringtail Creek, and Tinbeerwah. Targeted streets in Noosa that are eligible include those in Black Mountain, Cooroy, Cooroy Mountain, Federal, Noosa Heads, Pomona, and Sunrise Beach. In Moreton Bay, the localities of Kobble Creek, Moodlu, Mount Glorious, and Mount Samson have also been included in the assistance program.
Residents can visit www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp for a complete list of activated locations, eligibility criteria, and to apply for grants. For immediate assistance, Queenslanders can call the 24/7 Queensland Community Recovery Hotline at 1800 173 349.
Government Officials Highlight Importance of Support
Kristy McBain, Federal Minister for Emergency Management, emphasized the significance of Personal Hardship Assistance in helping individuals recover after a disaster. “These grants put cash in pockets quickly to allow for those critical purchases following storm damage, things like food, clothing and medicine,” she stated.
Queensland’s Minister for Disaster Recovery, Ann Leahy, noted that ongoing collaboration with councils will ensure that all impacted communities receive the support they need during the recovery process. “Recovery from these hailstorms won’t be measured in days but in weeks and months, and it’s important we have all necessary assistance available,” Minister Leahy explained. She added that the Queensland Reconstruction Authority will work with local councils and the Community Recovery team to assess needs and deliver the required help.
As Queensland begins the recovery process, the emphasis remains on providing timely and effective support to those affected by the recent storms. The combined efforts of both state and federal governments aim to ensure that residents are not left to navigate the aftermath alone.
