New $1k cash relief activated for victims of freak SEQ storms

Queenslanders hardest hit by the freak storms in the state’s southeast will soon have access to extra financial support starting at $1000, as the scale of the catastrophic damage becomes clearer. ARE YOU ELIGIBLE? YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Queenslanders hardest hit by the freak storms in the state’s southeast will soon have access to extra financial support starting at $1000 as the scale of the catastrophic damage becomes clearer.

The federal government has announced applications for two more disaster relief payments will open on Monday at 2pm for thousands of eligible residents in suburbs across the Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim.

This includes government payments of $1000 per adult and $400 per dependent child for those who have suffered significant injury or loss due to the storms — including major damage due to trees crashing into homes, losing roofs or major flood damage.

On top of that workers or sole traders who experience economic loss amid the catastrophe can apply for a disaster allowance — paid at the rate of JobSeeker or Youth Allowance — with the payments lasting 13 weeks.

Luci Simmons and Michael Meudell’s Helensvale home was left uninhabitable after a tree went through the lunge room during the storm on Christmas Day. Pics Adam Head

And New Zealand citizens who hold certain visa types are also eligible for both the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA).

It’s expected more suburbs will be activated for the AGDRP payment in coming days as more damage assessments are undertaken.

Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the federal government had moved quickly to increase the assistance on offer knowing insurance claims often took some time to process.

“These $1000 payments will help to get Queenslanders back on their feet faster,” he said.

“Other assistance is already available through the State and Commonwealth Governments to help with recovery costs, including $5000 grants for electricity and sewerage reconnection, up to $50,000 for uninsured homeowners to rebuild or repair damaged homes, and concessional small business loans of up to $250,000.”

Those in the impacted areas are asked to check their eligibility through the Services Australia website.

Chris Graham from Energex speaks to the media regarding storm clean-up at Tamborine Mountain. Picture: Richard Walker

It comes as thousands of homes and businesses which went dark due to the storms are set to have power restored as early as Sunday following a mammoth electricity network repair effort.

More than 700 Energex workers from across the state are working around the clock to finish repairing an “unprecedented” 1000 fallen power lines, mainly on the Gold Coast, after the storms smashed the area.

Hundreds are working on Tamborine Mountain which bore the brunt of what has been labelled a tornado.

About 130,000 homes, businesses and community buildings lost power in the storms and Acting Energy Minister Grace Grace said about 97 per cent now had electricity.

An estimated 2750 homes and businesses on Tamborine Mountain were still without power on Saturday but it was hoped most would be restored by Sunday night.

She said the State Government had received 92,000 applications for disaster payments and had so far paid out about $8.5m to those impacted by the storms.

“We very rarely go into an area where there are over 1000 wires down – that’s almost a record number in this area,” she said.

Originally published as New $1k cash relief activated for victims of freak SEQ storms