Recovery package

Financial Assistance Package powers Logan recovery

Logan City Council today endorsed a flood recovery package that supports ratepayers, small business and the environment.

The package includes a rates rebate for the fourth quarter which supplements a range of funding and hardship support provided by the Queensland and Australian governments.

The $250 rebate will apply for those residential properties (homes) inundated by riverine flooding.

City of Logan businesses inundated by riverine flooding are also eligible for support under the package.

Council will also extend arrangements introduced during the pandemic which allows residential and commercial ratepayers under financial hardship to apply for zero-interest payment plans.

The package also provides:

• Small business support
• Waiving of some Development Application and business licence fees
• Prioritised community grants
• Additional support to wildlife carers
• Free trees to help stabilise and restore eroded waterway banks.

Treating freshwater and saltwater mosquito breeding areas also will be a priority.

Flooding in the City of Logan exceeded 2017 levels (ex TC Debbie) in most areas but was slightly lower than flood heights in 1974.

Council is aware of 238 houses and 47 businesses inundated with 50 properties still to be inspected. There were 140 residential requests for assistance and 27 from businesses.

City of Logan Mayor Darren Power said Council’s Flood Recovery Financial Assistance Package would help to ease the burden on ratepayers and business owners.

“We understand the recovery from the floods will not be a sprint, but a marathon, and these measures will bring some relief to those most impacted,” Cr Power said.

“The Logan community is resilient and always there for each other in times of need and Council plays a key role in the recovery process.

“The clean-up from the deluge is ongoing and the way the community is uniting at this time is inspiring and heart-warming to see. They have been through a lot and every bit of assistance will make a difference.

“That’s why the support package is multi-pronged and covers many areas. It was designed to support the various hardships facing the community – residential, business and the environment.

“I commend the hard work of my fellow Councillors and Council staff involved in the recovery process to bring this together quickly.”

Recovery hubs

 Three Community Recovery hubs are now operating to provide a place where residents can talk to community recovery staff, receive referrals for community and government agencies and apply for hardship grants.

The hubs operate from 9am-4pm and are located at:

• Beenleigh PCYC– 20-38 Alamein Street, Beenleigh
• Caddies Community Centre– 19-33 South Street, Jimboomba
• Kingston East Neighbourhood Centre– 117 Meakin Road, Kingston.

Financial assistance grants

Support is available for flood-affected residents facing financial hardship. The following jointly funded Queensland and Australian Government grants are available to residents in the City of Logan, which was declared a disaster area:

• Emergency Hardship Assistance Grant ($180 per person/up to $900 for family of five) for immediate needs such as food, accommodation, clothing and medicine.
• Essential Services Hardship Assistance Grant ($150 per person/up to $750 for family of five) for those who have lost essential services for more than five days.
• Essential Household Contents Grant (up to $1765 for single adults/ $5300 for couples/families) for those who are uninsured, or unable to claim insurance for household contents.
• Structural Assistance Grant (up to $10,995 for single adults/ $14685 for couples/families) to help repair homes and make them safe and secure.
• Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant (up to $200 towards safety inspections/ up to $4200 towards repair) to assist owner/occupied households to reconnect services such as electricity, gas, water and/or sewerage.

Residents can check eligibility criteria, and apply for these grants at the Community Recovery Grants Portal or phone 1800 173 349.

Those who are not eligible for the above grants may qualify for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment.

This is a lump sum payment of up to $1000 per adult and $400 per child for those who have been significantly affected by disaster.

More information is available on the Services Australia website. Click on the ‘Natural disaster events’ button at the bottom of the homepage, and navigate to ‘South East Queensland Floods, February 2022’.

Eligible community organisations, schools and social enterprises can apply for up to $5000 from Logan City Council to support community response and recovery efforts.

Flood-related applications will be fast-tracked. More information about Community Response Grants and the online application form can be found at Community development funding – Logan City Council.

Small Business Relief

A new Small Business Recovery and Reinvigoration Fund has been established to support critically impacted local small businesses to improve their resilience, adapt their business for future growth and fast-track their recovery.

Support measures available include:

• Up to $5000 per eligible businesses.
• Professional advice support program.
• Digital and marketing activities to assist local businesses discover new customers and grow revenue.
• Relocation assistance for impacted local businesses wanting to relocate to other locations within Logan.
• Support for the replacement, repair or restoration of essential items for business operations such as signage or furniture.
• Rebates on approved business development courses to develop disaster preparedness and mitigation skills.

Conditions apply to be eligible for the Small Business Recovery and Reinvigoration Fund. Details are being finalised and more information will be released soon.

Waste and the environment

A free kerbside collection of flood debris and flood-damaged items only is now underway. This is not a city-wide waste collection. Key details include:

• The kerbside flood waste clean-up will only occur in streets where residential properties were inundated by flood water.
• Residential properties that were not inundated by flood water are not part of this special clean-up and will not receive the flood waste clean-up service.
• Different types of waste should be placed in separate piles on the footpath. If there is flood-affected asbestos material contact Council for assistance.
• For more information go to Kerbside cleanup – Logan City Council.
• Residents whose properties were inundated can also dispose of flood-related waste and rubbish free of charge at any of Council’s Waste and Recycling Facilities at Browns Plains, Beenleigh, Carbrook, Greenbank and Logan Village.
• Bin collection services are now back on track. If your regular waste bin collection was missed due to the floods, rubbish can be disposed of free of charge at any of the Council waste facilities. Please advise the site operator that you missed a bin collection.

Other environment support includes:

• Up to 1000 free native trees/plants per flood-impacted property to support stabilisation and restoration of the waterway banks. Applicants are required to join Council’s Environmental Conservation Partnerships program to be eligible.
• Double amounts available up to $3000 for individual wildlife carer under the EnviroGrants program.

Waiver of fees

Some fees which apply to Development Applications and business licences will be waived on defined recovery and rebuilding activities in flood-impacted areas. These include:

• Where residential houses and associated outbuildings were inundated and a development application or fee would otherwise be payable for reconstruction on the site, all associated Material Change of Use, Building Work Assessable against the Planning Scheme, Domestic Plumbing and Building Work Archival Fees will be waived.
• Where non-residential buildings were inundated and a development application or fee would otherwise be payable to facilitate their reconstruction on the site, all associated Material Change of Use, Building Work Assessable against the Planning Scheme, Commercial Plumbing and Building Work Archival Fees will be waived.
• Where a licensable food, personal appearance service or short-term accommodation business were inundated a fee is required for the business’ new floor plan to be assessed, fees associated with assessment of the new businesses floor plan will be waived.

For more details call Council on 3412 3412.