Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to announce new relief for flood-smashed towns in western Queensland

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to announce new relief for farmers smashed by once-in-a-lifetime rain, as he takes his election campaign north.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will fly to flood-affected areas of western Queensland on Saturday to announce further aid, after usually bone-dry outback towns were smashed this week by up to 100mm of rain in just a day.

Large swathes of farmland was inundated by the once-in-a-lifetime weather event that killed or scattered more than 140,000 heads of livestock and forced the evacuation of multiple isolated outback townships.

While Mr Albanese's exact destination is unknown, the PM is expected to announce that the Commonwealth had activated the Disaster Recovery Allowance, an up to 13-week allowance of the maximum rate of JobSeeker or Youth Allowance, depending on individual circumstances, for people unable to work.

Homes under floodwaters in the town of Windorah in central-west Queensland. Picture: AFP PHOTO / Queensland Fire Department

“The vision coming out of Western Queensland is truly shocking and distressing,” he said.

“My thoughts are with everyone affected by this flooding – my message to Queenslanders is we are here for you.

“My government has been working with the Queensland Government to activate assistance and provide support.

“At the worst of times, we see the best of the Australian character.”

The income support will be made available to eligible workers and sole traders, depending on their personal circumstances, who may have suffered a loss of income as a direct result of the freak weather event.

It comes after two heavy lift helicopters and an ADF fixed wing aircraft were deployed to bring in supplies and help the SES, and the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment. was activated.

The one-off payments of $1000 per adult and $400 per child is eligible to residents in the Barcoo, Bulloo, Longreach, Paroo, Quilpie and Winton LGAs, with some 500 claims and $400,000 already paid.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to announce new assistance on Saturday. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

A range of government assistance programs are also already available to primary producers, Emergency Disaster Assistance Grants of up to $75,000 and Disaster Assistance Loans up to $250,000.

Small business and personal hardship payments have also been made available.

The disaster comes amid a hotly contested election, with both major parties promising to invest in a $10m radar in Regional Queensland to supplement other weather warning systems in elected in May.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton visited Targomindah, about 1100km west of Brisbane alongside Nationals Leader David Littleproud and Bulloo Shire Council mayor Tractor Ferguson on Monday.

He accused the PM of neglecting regional communities and ignoring the need for weather monitoring, and said a Liberal-Nationals government radar “would once again prioritise the needs of regional Australians”.