Today (28 June 2017) marks the three-month anniversary since Severe Tropical Cyclone (STC) Debbie crossed the Central Queensland coast.
STC Debbie and the associated flooding events impacted farmers from Bowen in Central Queensland down to the New South Wales border. Since the system battered farmers throughout the state, much progress has been made in the recovery effort amongst the state’s agricultural industries and communities.
Queensland Farmers’ Federation (QFF) President Stuart Armitage stated that the recovery had been both financially and emotionally difficult for many farmers, but there were plenty of signs that our sector was making considerable progress.
“It is heartening to see that 548 Queensland farmers have already received the natural disaster recovery grants, with a combined valued over $3.3 million (23 June 2017)”, Mr. Armitage said.
“QRAA should be commended for its positive engagement with affected farmers and the timely administration of available grants. But, it has been disappointing that the State Government hasn’t been as proactive as we would have liked.”
“Most recovery processes and decisions are made in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters, as farmers try to recover their business and restart production and farm operations, so investment in ‘betterment’ activities makes sense and will increase resilience within the sector.”
“QFF has been calling for the adoption of a ‘shovel ready’ agricultural recovery program that deploys Industry Recovery Officers (IROs) immediately after a natural disaster so they can provide the support and technical advice needed to improve the recovery process.”
“Another issue that needs a forward thinking, whole of government approach is the future of Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). This is an expensive funding commitment for governments and it is evolving. As NDRRA funding continues to be tightened, it is essential that appropriate risk management options are in place for farm businesses, such as commercial insurance products.”
“With the right level of government support, QFF and its cross-industry partners will be able to deliver a variety of insurance options that could potentially cover against these events, and we call on the government to learn from the STC Debbie response to improve the recovery process.”
QFF encourages affected primary producers who are eligible and who have not yet applied for the Natural Disaster Recover grants to do so. Grants are available through QRAA until 13 October 2017.