The recent floods and power outages have devastated farmers and small business owners across NQ, and I’m calling on the PM to step up and provide real financial assistance.
Farmers in the Tablelands, Cassowary Coast, and Hinchinbrook regions have suffered massive losses, with road closures cutting them off from markets for weeks. The inability to transport produce to market, coupled with increased freight costs, has placed a substantial financial burden on local farmers. Many of these farmers are being told they’re not eligible for relief—yet they’ve lost thousands and thousands of dollars in disrupted operations. That’s unacceptable.
Small businesses are also feeling the pain. Many lost weeks of revenue due to road closures and power outages. Businesses like the Forrest Beach Supermarket, lost over $9,000 in perishables, are being denied compensation because they weren’t inundated—even though power loss wiped out their stock.
Even our local news outlets were impacted. The Mareeba Express and North West Weekly lost thousands because they couldn’t print and distribute their papers.
I’ve urged the PM to broaden the eligibility criteria so that small businesses and farmers impacted by power outages, freight disruptions, and stock losses can get the support they need.
#AusPol #floodrecovery