PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 10 February 1986
Federal Cabinet today agreed on action to assist the people of
Queensland affected by Cyclone Winifred which devastated large
areas of the North Queensland coastline a week ago.
The Government received today a report from the Minister for
Primary Industry, Mr Kerin, on his inspection of the damage
arising from Cyclone Winifred and on his discussions with local
Government officials, cane and banana growers and community
groups. Cabinet also had available a report on discussions held last
Friday between Commonwealth and Queensland officers which
considered the particular circumstances of the cyclone damaged
area. The officials discussed the arrangements that might be put in
place, and in particular discussed the operation of the
Commonwealth/ State Natural Disasters Relief Arrangements.
At this stage the full impact and extent of damage and hardship
is not available to either the Queensland or the Federal
Government and it has been agreed that further consultations will
be held when more information comes to hand.
Under the new Natural Disaster Arrangements introduced on 1 July
1985, and agreed to by the States, Queensland meets the first
$ 10.48 million of expenditure in 1985/ 86. Since the Queensland
Government has already spent more than this amount on natural
disaster relief this year, further payments will be shared
equally by the Commonwealth and Queensland Governments for the
next $ 7.86 million of assistance. Thereafter the Commonwealth
will fund three quarters of additional expenditure. In the
circumstances it is expected that the Commonwealth will be
meeting at least 50 per cent of the total disaster relief
assistance in Queensland during 1985/ 86.
In addition to this the Government has agreed that funds will
also be provided to various local Councils through the
Commonwealth element of the Community Employment Program for a
Cylcone Winifred Special Area Rehabilitation Project. The
Project, to be sponsored by the minister for Local Government and
Administrative Services will aim to assist in the restoration and
improvement of public parks and gardens, and at the same time,
provide employment opportunities for the long term unemployed and
other disadvantaged job seekers in the area.
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To provide practical help to the two Shire most severely
affected, Johnstone and Cardwell Shires, we have arranged under
my Government's Local Government Development Program for Mr
Duncan Beggs, the City Engineer from Darwin, to be available for
several weeks at Commonwealth expense to help organise clean up
and reconstruction work. He was responsible for rehabilitation
in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy, and provided excpert assistance
after Cyclones Gretel and max in Northern Australia and the
Macedon bushfires in Victoria. As well as providing immediate
assistance in the Shires, the visiting expert will advise on
longer term strategies.
The Prime minister also commended the establishment of a national
appeal for victims of Cyclone Winifred and said that under the
income tax law donations of over $ 2.00 to a public fund for the
relief of cyclone victims in need, would be an eligible tax
deduction.