IM~.
AUSiRALIA
PRIME Mf3IM3STER February 1976
JOINT PRESS STATFMENT
In a joint statement issued today, the Prime Minister,
Mr. Nalcolm Fraser and the Premier of Queensland, Mr. J. Bjelke-
Petersen, announced the implementation of a wide range of relief
Iand restoration measures to assist those affected by the serious
and protracted flooding experienced in many areas of Queensland
recently.
I The Prime Minister and the Premier said that their two Governments
were working together in a co-operative and expeditious way to
assist individuals, businesses and public authorities in need as
p a result of these floods. The agreed measures of assistance
include:-
p relief of personal hardship and distress;
special subsidies to primary producers towards the cost of
fodder dropped by aircraft to stranded and starving
stock in flooded areas on an emergency basis;
loan assistance on concessional terms to primary producers,
small businesses, sporting bodies and charitable and
church organisations for restoration and repairs;
transport concessions, in addition to the above, for
primary producers;
assistance to oublic authorities for the emergency
repair and protection of essential services; and
2.
assi: tane for the restoration of Stata and
local government assets dam-naged or destroyed by the floods.
Having regard to the particular circumstances arising from these
floods it has been agreed that the scheme of assistance for the
relief of personal hardship and distress should in ths case
comprehend, where appropriate, assistance in respect of
essential repairs to owner occupied dwellings. However,
this assistance will b subject to means test and to other
appropriate conditions.
These measures are to be administered by State authorities
and all enquiries on eligibility etc. should be directed to
those authorities. The Commonwealth Government will, however,
contribute towards the financing of the costs of the measures
under established natural disaster assistance arrangements. * er
these arrangements the Commonwealth Government meets the full
costs of agreed measures necessitated by major disasters once e
State has met an annual " base" amount from its own resources.
For 1975-76 this base amount is $ 2 million.
Expenditure in excess of that amount has already been incurred by
the State this year in respect of earlier disasters K so that
in practice the full costs of the agreed measures in this fin-ar-ncial
year will fall on the Commonwealth.
3.
Details of levels of assistance are under consideration
by our respective Treasurers, Mr Lynch and Sir Gordon
Chalk and will be announced as soon as possible.
The Prime Minister and the Premier paid tribute to the
work of Service personnel, the Natural Disasters
Organisation officers of the State emergency services
and the many volunteers involved.