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Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding: 13 - 28 December 2023

Quick Info

State / Country
QLD
Australia
Name
Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding: 13 - 28 December 2023
Start Date
13/12/2023
End Date
28/12/2023
AGRN
1,088

Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding: 13 - 28 December 2023

​​​​​​​​​​Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by Tropical Cyclone Jasper in Queensland.

The rate of AGDRP is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with Services Australia for a period up to 6 months.

AGDRP is available for people who have been seriously injured, have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, whose major assets have been directly damaged or are the immediate family members of an Australian citizen or resident who has died as a direct result of Tropical Cyclone Jasper. 

You have until 17 June 2024 to lodge a claim for AGDRP in the nine (9) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.

For more information on eligibility, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.

New Zealand Disaster Recovery Payment

The New Zealand Disaster Recovery Payment (NZ DRP) is available to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who have been adversely affected by Tropical  Cyclone Jasper in Queensland.

The payment rate is $1000 per eligible adult, and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with Services Australia for a period of 6 months.

The payment is available for non-protected SCV holders who have been seriously injured, have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, whose major assets have been directly damaged or are the immediate family members of an Australian citizen or resident who has died as a direct result of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

You have until 17 June 2024 to lodge a claim for the New Zealand Disaster Recovery Payments in the nine (9) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.

For eligibility information, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.

Disaster Recovery Allowance

The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is a short term payment to eligible Australians who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of Tropical Cyclone Jasper in Queensland.

DRA provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.

DRA is available to Australian residents who are 16 years or older at the time of the disaster.

DRA is not available to those already receiving another income support payment or pension such as the Age Pension, JobSeeker Payment or Service Pension.

You have until 17 June 2024 to lodge a claim for DRA in the nine (9) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.

For eligibility information, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.

New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance

The New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance (NZ DRA) is available to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of Tropical Cyclone Jasper in Queensland.

The short term payment provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.

NZ DRA is available to SCV holders who are 16 years or older at the time of the disaster.

You have until 17 June 2024 to lodge a claim for the NZ DRA in the nine (9) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.

For more information on eligibility, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.

Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements

The joint Australian, state and territory governments' Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) provide a range of financial assistance to the natural disaster-declared areas in each state or territory.

For Tropical Cyclone Jasper, the available assistance measures include:

Personal Hardship Assistance scheme and Essential Services Safety and Reconnection scheme in the nine (9) local government areas of:

  • Cairns
  • Cassowary Coast
  • Cook
  • Douglas
  • Hope Vale
  • Mareeba
  • Tablelands
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Yarrabah

For information on these schemes and eligibility, visit the Queensland Government Community Recovery website or phone the Community Recovery hotline on 1800 173 349.

Disaster Assistance Loans and Essential Working Capital Loans for small businesses in the nine (9) local government areas of:

  • Cairns
  • Cassowary Coast
  • Cook
  • Douglas
  • Hope Vale
  • Mareeba
  • Tablelands
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Yarrabah

Disaster Assistance Loans and Essential Working Capital Loans for not-for-profit organisations in the eight (8) local government areas of:

  • Cairns
  • Cassowary Coast
  • Cook
  • Douglas
  • Mareeba
  • Tablelands
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Yarrabah

Disaster Assistance Loans and Essential Working Capital Loans for primary producers in the ten (10) local government areas of:

  • Cairns
  • Cassowary Coast
  • Cook
  • Douglas
  • Hinchinbrook
  • Hope Vale
  • Mareeba
  • Tablelands
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Yarrabah

For information on small business, not-for-profit organisation and primary producer loans including eligibility, visit the Business Queensland natural disaster assistance website.

Freight subsidies for primary producers in the ten (10) local government areas of:

  • Cairns
  • Cassowary Coast
  • Cook
  • Douglas
  • Hinchinbrook
  • Hope Vale
  • Mareeba
  • Tablelands
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Yarrabah

Counter disaster operations in the seventeen (17) local government areas of:

  • Aurukun
  • Cairns
  • Carpentaria
  • Cassowary Coast
  • Cook
  • Douglas
  • Hinchinbrook
  • Hope Vale
  • Kowanyama
  • Mareeba
  • Napranum
  • Northern Peninsula Area
  • Tablelands
  • Torres
  • Torres Strait Island
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Yarrabah

Restoration of essential public assets in the eighteen (18) local government areas of:

  • Aurukun
  • Cairns
  • Carpentaria
  • Cassowary Coast
  • Cook
  • Douglas
  • Hinchinbrook
  • Hope Vale
  • Kowanyama
  • Lockhart River
  • Mareeba
  • Napranum
  • Northern Peninsula Area
  • Tablelands
  • Torres
  • Torres Strait Island
  • Wujal Wujal
  • Yarrabah

Additional recovery assistance measures

  • Recovery grants of up to $75,000 are available for eligible primary producers to help with recovery and reinstatement activities - These grants are available in the ten (10) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hinchinbrook, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.
  • Recovery grants of up to $50,000 are available for eligible small businesses to help with recovery and reinstatement activities - These grants are available in the nine (9) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.
  • Recovery grants of up to $50,000 are available for eligible non-profit organisations to help with recovery and reinstatement activities - These grants are available in the eight (8) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.

For information on recovery grants for primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations visit the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority website.

Additional recovery packages

Local Recovery and Resilience Grants - This package is available to the nine (9) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah to assist local governments undertake immediate recovery and resilience activities, to address emerging needs and help build community resilience.

Rural Landholder Recovery Grants – This package is available to Rural Landholders across the ten (10) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hinchinbrook, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah to assist them with the extraordinary clean up and support the economic recovery of communities.

Tourism Recovery and Resilience Program - to provide grants for tourism operators that remain isolated or have been severely impacted, as well as to encourage tourism through increased marketing, events, and travel incentives.

Clean-up Program - to assist local governments and state agencies to undertake assessments, and to conduct clean-up, removal and disposal activities of debris in impacted communities, rivers, beaches, National Parks, and community and recreational assets.

Community Health and Wellbeing Program – to conduct community health and wellbeing activities through providing direct support and referrals for individuals for financial or mental health supports, grants to community groups to improve preparedness and resilience and, to support the recovery of community building activities in Far North Queensland to assist community cohesion.

Mental Health Program – to provide individual and family therapeutic interventions across the range of care options, and provide health and wellbeing activities to support the recovery of those impacted.

Small Business Support Package – providing support dedicated to disaster-affected small business owners through, one-on-one case management focussing on mental health support and financial security, a program addressing local support needs, and financial assistance to small businesses.

Sport and Recreation Community Facilities Recovery Program – to rebuild and repair sport and recreation facilities. This will be done by supporting initial scoping of the works and delivery of funding from a grant program.

Environmental Recovery Package – to support local government areas, Wet Tropics, Great Barrier Reef World Heritage areas and national parks to identify environmental impacts from the event to support development and delivery of further supports such as clean-up and weed and past management. This package will also assist National Parks recover from the impacts to rebuild its tourism areas and the environment and cultural values it brings.

Recovery Project Managers –​ Direct funding to enable severely impacted local governments to engage project managers and skilled workers to design, coordinate and manage extraordinary recovery efforts following the exceptional disaster event.

Betterment Program- This package is available to assist local and state governments to improve the resilience of event damaged essential public assets.

Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council Targeted Assistance Package - This package is available in the one (1) local government area of Wujal Wujal to assist repair flood and storm damaged community and recreational assets.

Legal Assistance Disaster Relief package - This package is available in the nine (9) local government areas of Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Hope Vale, Mareeba, Tablelands, Wujal Wujal and Yarrabah to enable community legal centres to provide legal assistance services to impacted individuals and communities.

Water and Sewerage Infrastructure Program - This package is available in the three (3) local government areas of Cook, Douglas and Mareeba to enable local government areas to claim costs for repair works and to improve resilience of damaged water and sewerage infrastructure.

For information on available recovery assistance, visit the Queensland Reconstruction Authority website.

For further information on recovery arrangements, visit the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements page.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will replace passports that have been lost or damaged in declared natural disasters free of charge, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.