People unable to work due to flooding in Queensland’s west will have access to financial help, Anthony Albanese will announce during a campaign visit.
The prime minister will visit flood zones on Saturday, where he will announce the federal government has approved the disaster recovery allowance.
It provides up to 13 weeks of income support for eligible workers and sole traders who have suffered a loss as a result of the natural disaster.
The amount available to people depends on their individual circumstances, with applications to open from Tuesday afternoon.
Almost double the yearly average rainfall has been dumped on parts of regional Queensland.
Massive areas of land have been inundated and tens of thousands of livestock are either missing or dead because of the record-breaking rain.
Mr Albanese said the federal and state governments were working together to provide support to communities.
“The vision coming out of Western Queensland is truly shocking and distressing, he said.
“My thoughts are with everyone affected by this flooding, my message to Queenslanders is we are here for you.”
Emergency disaster grants, personal hardship assistance payments and grants for small businesses and non-profits are also available.
Labor has matched the coalition’s pledge of $10 million for a radar in outback Queensland to supplement other weather warning systems including satellites and flood gauges.
Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister said support provided included the deployment of heavy-lift helicopters, personal hardship payments and a fodder bank for impacted farmers.
A military aircraft has provided support by supplying fuel, transporting more than 5000 litres of aviation fuel from Longreach to Windorah on Tuesday.
The trip to Queensland by Mr Albanese will be his second over the past seven days.
Peter Dutton on Monday visited the flood-affected town of Thargomindah, about 1000km west of Brisbane.
The opposition leader has accused the government of neglecting regional communities.
Australian Associated Press is the beating heart of Australian news. AAP is Australia’s only independent national newswire and has been delivering accurate, reliable and fast news content to the media industry, government and corporate sector for 85 years. We keep Australia informed.
