Further Australian Government support activated for flood-hit communities in regional Queensland

• ​The Disaster Recovery Allowance is being extended to the 9 Local Government Areas of Balonne, Burke, Carpentaria, Charters Towers, Cloncurry, Croydon, Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire, Etheridge and Mount Isa. 
• The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is being extended to the Local Government Areas (LGA) of Barcaldine and Murweh Shire.
• The support activated today supplements the joint assistance activated by the Australian and Queensland Governments in response to the different challenges that Queenslanders have experienced.

The Australian Government is extending the Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) and Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) to additional locations, providing further support for communities impacted by the widespread flooding in regional Queensland.

This event has impacted people in different ways.

The Australian Government is working closely with the Queensland Government to ensure that supports are available in response to the different challenges that people have experienced. 

Joint Commonwealth-State supports

• If a person has lost essential services such as power, gas, water or sewerage for more than 5 days, they may be eligible for the Essential Services Hardship Assistance: a payment of between $150 - $750 depending on household size.
• If a person needs help to cover the costs of emergency essentials like food clothing and medicine, they may be eligible for the Emergency Hardship Assistance: a payment of between $180 - $900 depending on household size.
• If a person lost essential household contents like bed linen or white goods, they may be eligible for the Essential Household Contents Grant: a payment of between $1,765 - $5,300 depending on household size.
• If a person’s home has become structurally unsafe to live in, they may be eligible for the Structural Assistance Grant: uninsured, low income owner occupiers can receive up to $80,000 to help repair home to make it safe, secure and habitable.

These payments are administered by the Queensland Government and people can check their eligibility on the Queensland Government Website. 

Commonwealth supports

• If a person has suffered a loss of income as a direct result of this event, they may be eligible for the Australian Government’s Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA), which offers up to 13 weeks of income support for workers and sole traders depending on their personal circumstances.

Today, the DRA has been extended to the 9 LGAs of Balonne, Burke, Carpentaria, Charters Towers, Cloncurry, Croydon, Doomadgee Aboriginal Shire, Etheridge and Mount Isa. 

If a person has suffered the most serious impacts including major damage to their home, serious injury, or loss of a loved one as a result of severe weather, they may be eligible for the AGDRP which offers residents $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child.

The AGDRP is being activated for the LGAs of Barcaldine and Murweh Shire.

As additional information about impacts becomes available, the government will consider other locations.

Residents can check their eligibility for the AGDRP and DRA on the Services Australia Website.

Claims for the AGDRP will open at 2pm local time on Wednesday, 16 April 2025.

The quickest way to claim is online through myGov, or via the myGov app. If people need help to claim, they can call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66.

To change or pause Centrelink debt repayments, affected people can do so online or in the mobile app (through the Money you owe service), or they can call 1800 076 072.