March 13, 2023
The hardship payments of $180 for individuals and $900 for families currently being offered by the state government to those affected by the flooding in North West Queensland have been labelled as a nice gesture, but pointless.
Katter’s Australian Party leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has advised that he recognises the payments, however, is less than satisfied with the amount.
“The funds are the government acknowledging that these people need help”, said Mr Katter.
“But for people who have lost everything, $180 is a useless amount.
“People affected in the Townsville floods in 2019, or the Brisbane floods last year were offered $1000 per adult or $400 per child in addition to the $180 with barely any questions asked.
“So far however, no such figures have risen to offer assistance to people of the North West.
“I’d like to know why it seems that people living up in the Gulf are worth less.
Mr Katter advised that he is currently pushing for the Federal Governments program offering Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) to consider Burke, Carpentaria and Doomadgee Shires as a Category C which releases such funds to these areas.
“The industries that will need rebuilding following these devastating events is a separate conversation.
“We won’t know the full extent these floods have had on these industries for a couple of weeks or maybe months.
“However, pastoral property workers, fishermen and general residents living in these townships who have lost everything however, need this help right now.
“They need a payment, and they need it straight away.
“Money to buy clothes, cleaning products, food, or anything else they need.
“We know there is money sitting there for times such as this, and the people of the North West are more than “good enough” to receive some.
[et_pb_text admin_label="EDIT - use %22ADD MEDIA%22 button to insert PDF" _builder_version="4.6.5" text_font_size="16px" hover_enabled="0" sticky_enabled="0"]
20230313 - RK media release - Katter calls out inadequate hardship payments for flood affected