Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants - Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding
Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants are available to assist directly impacted primary producers, small businesses and non profit organisations with the costs of clean-up and reinstatement.
Applications have been extended to 30 June 2025.
What assistance is available?
Grants of up to $75,000 are available for affected producers following Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding, 13 - 28 December 2023, to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace fencing and other costs associated with the recovery process. Producers should take photographs of the direct damage to accompany their application/s.
Applicants need to show they are an eligible primary producer, within the declared disaster area and demonstrate they have suffered direct impact from the disaster. Read below and the guidelines for more information.
The maximum grant amount is $75,000 and can be accessed through the following:
- Initial application/s up to the total amount of $10,000 is available to support an initial claim. Evidence of the direct damage is required such as photographs and quotations, tax invoices or official receipts.
- Subsequent application/s up to the total amount of $65,000 is available to support subsequent claims for which full evidence of payment is required.
Complete applications are assessed in order of receipt and QRIDA may request further information to help assess an application.
How to apply
Providing you have the required documentation and meet eligibility; you can apply for the grant over a number of applications or two separate applications.
Example 1:
- If you have estimates or quotes to the value of 10,000, then you can make an initial application for the full $10,000
- If you only have estimates or quotes to the value of $5,000, you can choose to submit an initial application for that $5,000. Any subsequent applications for further assistance will require you to demonstrate how you have spent the initial $5,000, and all additional amounts, by providing evidence, such as receipts or invoices and proof of the payment of these.
- This initial amount is to support with cash flow back into the business with either deposits, small payments and more.
Example 2:
- You have now spent the initial $10,000 on deposits and/or minor work and require additional funding to complete the work
- Once you have applied for and received the initial funding, any subsequent applications for further assistance will require you to demonstrate how you have spent the initial funding, and all additional amounts, by providing evidence, such as receipts or invoices and proof of the payment of these.
- You can apply for subsequent funding amounts as many times as you need until you reach the total amount.
How can the assistance help you?
Eligible clean-up, reinstatement activities and emergency measures include:
- Equipment and materials to undertake clean-up
- Additional labour costs (above and beyond normal wage expenditure i.e. day-to-day staffing)
- Disposing of damaged goods and injured or dead livestock, including associated costs
- Repairs to buildings (other than housing)
- Fencing not covered by any other assistance
- Reconditioning/ repairing essential plant and equipment
- Salvaging crops, grain and feeds
- Purchase or hire/ lease costs for equipment essential to the immediate resumption of the business
- Payment for tradespeople to conduct safety inspections
- Essential repairs to premises and internal fittings that is not covered by insurance.
Am I eligible?
Defined disaster area
The Minister for Fire and Emergency Services has activated disaster assistance for Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding, 13 - 28 December 2023.
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Cairns Regional Council
- Cassowary Coast Regional Council
- Cook Shire Council
- Douglas Shire Council
- Hinchinbrook Shire Council
- Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council
- Mareeba Shire Council
- Tablelands Regional Council
- Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council
- Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council
What documents do I need to provide with my application?
If you have already applied for assistance from QRIDA please provide your QRIDA Client ID Number. Please do not mail original documents as we are unable to return them.
Financial statements and tax returns
- Financial statements including Profit and Loss and Balance Sheet
- The latest available Income Tax Return/s will be satisfactory, this is downloadable from your ATO portal.
Rates Notice / Lease Agreement
- Your enterprise must be located within a defined disaster area. If you own the property, please attach a copy of your most recent Local Government rates notice for the property impacted by the disaster event.
- If you lease the property, please attach a copy of your current lease agreement (lease agreement must confirm that you are responsible for meeting the costs being claimed).
Photographs of damage
- 5 - 10 photographs evidencing direct damage.
Evidence of payment
- For grant applications up to $10,000 (i.e. for immediate resumption of business directly following the disaster event):
- Copies of tax invoices or quotes/estimates
OR
- For grant applications over $10,000 or subsequent applications up to $65,000
- Copies of tax invoices AND evidence that these invoices have been paid (e.g. bank statements, electronic bank transfer confirmations or official supplier receipts).
Details of insurance
If insured, full details and a copy of your insurance policy and/or claim must be provided. Please be aware QRIDA is unable to finalise your Disaster Assistance Grant application until the outcome of your insurance claim is determined and formal advice of the claim outcome is provided. If you are eligible to claim under your insurance policy, you must do so, and have that claim finalised before lodging an application for grant assistance.
QRIDA administers financial assistance to disaster affected primary producers, businesses and non-profit organisations under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Frequently asked questions
The certificate of insurance and details of your claim are required to apply for this grant. The grant cannot cover repairs that will be covered by insurance. However, items that are not covered, and your excess may be eligible.
Yes, we welcome you to apply before you know the outcome. QRIDA will work with you to determine what damage may be covered by your insurance policy.
Please note that assessing applications before finalising insurance claims may take longer than if you were to apply after the insurance outcome is known.
Direct damage is physical damage that occurred as a result of the event. For example, immediate damage caused by flood water flowing through your property, or damage to a fence because of a bush fire on your property.
Indirect damage is the losses sustained as a consequence of the disaster. For example, downturn in customer foot traffic from road closures, loss of income or spoilage due to power outages.
For direct damage you may be eligible for an Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant and/or a Disaster Assistance Loan. For indirect damage you may be eligible for an Essential Working Capital Disaster Assistance Loan.
Primary producer means:
- a sole trader who -
- spends the majority of their labour on a primary production enterprise; and
- either –
- derives the majority of their income from the primary production enterprise; or
- in the opinion of QRIDA, based on the demonstrated production potential of the primary production enterprise, will eventually derive the majority of their incomes from the primary production enterprise
- in relation to a partnership, company or trust that carries on a primary production enterprise for which the partners, shareholders or beneficiaries –
- spend the majority of their labour on a primary production enterprise; and
- either –
- derive the majority of their income from the primary production enterprise; or
- in the opinion of QRIDA, based on the demonstrated production potential of the primary production enterprise, will eventually derive the majority of their incomes from the primary production enterprise.
This definition is specific to the Scheme Guidelines and is not influenced by external definitions of a primary producer, such as that used by the Australian Taxation Office.
During the course of assessment, QRIDA may contact an applicant for further information to establish eligibility under the Scheme definition of a primary producer. QRIDA may also utilise information, tools or data from sources such as (but not limited to):
- FORAGE Long-Term Carrying Capacity reports (The Long Paddock, Queensland Government)
- Federal and/or State Departments of Agriculture
- Meat & Livestock Australia
- Australian Wool Exchange
- Australian Banana Growers Council
- Horticulture Innovation Australia
- AgriFutures Australia
- Pork Australia
- Queensland Sugar
- Canegrowers
- GrainCorp
- Queensland Cotton
- Australian Macadamia Society
- Targeted industry Market Outlook and Commodity pricing data (e.g. Market Information Services, Kynetec)
Normal staffing costs are ineligible unless they can demonstrate additional costs are incurred for clean-up and reinstatement purposes.
- Permanent employees (including permanent full-time and permanent part-time) – only the costs of additional hours worked (e.g. overtime or extra hours / days) to assist with the clean-up and reinstatement of the enterprise
- Contractors, casuals or temporary staff - who are engaged specifically for clean-up and reinstatement of the enterprise. If contractors, casuals or temporary staff are already employed, however, the day to day labour requirement which they were originally contracted to do has decreased or ceased altogether due to the eligible disaster, and they are assisting with clean up, these costs for clean-up and reinstatement purposes only may be eligible.
Evidence required could include payroll summary verifying staff and wage costs incurred for clean-up and reinstatement purposes only and signed by the applicant.
Applicants who operate more than one primary production enterprise, for example under a single ABN at separate locations, may apply for assistance for each eligible separate business up to the maximum amount of assistance available for the relevant defined disaster area and determined by the establishment notice.
When determining an eligible separate business, QRIDA may consider (but is not limited to):
- the staffing arrangements of the separate property
- whether the property has its own plant equipment or stock
- the accounting arrangements of the separate property
- whether the separate property operates under its own trading name
- the commercial scale, viability and autonomy of each property.
QRIDA will consider each application on a case by case basis taking into account the particular circumstances.
A certificate of insurance and details of the claim are required to apply for this grant given the grant cannot cover repairs that will be covered by insurance. However, insurance excesses and items that are not covered by insurance may be eligible.
You may be eligible to apply for more than one grant if you were directly affected by both events. Please contact QRIDA 1800 623 946 or email contact_us@qrida.qld.gov.au
The primary production business must generate the majority of your income, unless you can demonstrate the production potential of the business to eventually derive the majority of your income.
An example of the production potential of the business - you have planted a commercial size fruit orchard that is still maturing which will eventually provide the majority of your income.
You are able to use relatives to repair your damage as long as transactions are retained at arm’s length and conducted in the same way as with any other contractor. Any contractors used must have an ABN and provide a tax invoice and official receipt for work completed. QRIDA may request additional information in these circumstances to confirm the validity of the claim.
Fishers who have sustained direct damage to fishing equipment and vessels as a result of the disaster may be eligible for assistance. Assistance is not however available to compensate for loss of income due to inability to fish because of the event.
If your business has not experienced direct damage, but has suffered a significant loss of income or other impacts as a result of the disaster event, you may be eligible to apply for a Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loan.
Yes, you are able to claim assistance for the actual costs of any additional labour or fuel and oil incurred in the use of this plant and equipment for clean-up and reinstatement activities for the disaster event.
Yes, you are entitled to a decision review. See reviewing a decision for more information.
QRIDA is committed to ensuring due administrative processes are undertaken with the decisioning of applications for Government assistance.
When making decisions on applications, as well as the internal review of a decision, QRIDA follows the QRIDA Decision-Making Policy and Procedure.
You can view this Policy and Procedure on the Reviewing a decision page.
Applications have been extended to 30 June 2025.
What assistance is available?
Grants of up to $50,000 are available for affected small businesses following Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding, 13 - 28 December 2023 to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace or repair damaged infrastructure and stock and other costs associated with the recovery process. Businesses should take photographs of the direct damage to accompany their application/s.
Applicants need to show they are an eligible small business, within the defined disaster area and demonstrate they have suffered direct impact from the disaster. Read this page and the guidelines for more information.
If you are insured, full details and a copy of your insurance policy and/or claim must be provided. Please be aware that QRIDA may be unable to finalise your Disaster Assistance Grant application until the outcome of your insurance claim is determined and claim outcome is provided.
The maximum grant amount available is $50,000 and can be accessed through the following:
- Initial application/s up to the total amount of $10,000 is available to support an initial claim. Evidence of the direct damage is required such as photographs and quotations, tax invoices or official receipts.
- Subsequent application/s up to the total amount of $40,000 is available to support subsequent claims for which full evidence of payment is required.
Complete applications are assessed in order of receipt and QRIDA may request further information to help assess an application.
How to apply
Providing you have the required documentation and meet eligibility; you can apply for the grant over a number of applications or two separate applications.
Example 1:
- If you have estimates or quotes to the value of 10,000, then you can make an initial application for the full $10,000
- If you only have estimates or quotes to the value of $5,000, you can choose to submit an initial application for that $5,000. Any subsequent applications for further assistance will require you to demonstrate how you have spent the initial $5,000, and all additional amounts, by providing evidence, such as receipts or invoices and proof of the payment of these.
- This initial amount is to support with cash flow back into the business with either deposits, small payments and more.
Example 2:
- You have now spent the initial $10,000 on deposits and/or minor work and require additional funding to complete the work
- Once you have applied for and received the initial funding, any subsequent applications for further assistance will require you to demonstrate how you have spent the initial funding, and all additional amounts, by providing evidence, such as receipts or invoices and proof of the payment of these.
- You can apply for subsequent funding amounts as many times as you need until you reach the total amount.
How may the assistance help you?
Eligible clean-up, reinstatement activities and emergency measures include:
- Equipment and materials to undertake clean-up
- Additional labour costs (above and beyond normal wage expenditure i.e. day-to-day staffing)
- Disposing of damaged goods and stock, including associated costs
- Repairs to buildings (other than housing)
- Reconditioning/ repairing essential plant and equipment
- Purchase or hire/ lease costs for equipment essential to the immediate resumption of the business
- Payment for tradespeople to conduct safety inspections
- Essential repairs to premises and internal fittings that is not covered by insurance.
Am I eligible?
To be eligible for an exceptional circumstances grant, you must:
- be a small business owner
- hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN at the time of the eligible disaster
- own a small business located in the defined disaster area for the eligible disaster that has suffered direct damage as a result of the eligible disaster
- have been engaged in carrying on the small business when affected by the eligible disaster
- be primarily responsible for meeting the costs claimed in the application and
- intend to re-establish the small business in the defined disaster area for the eligible disaster.
An applicant may also be eligible for an exceptional circumstances grant if both of the following apply:
- the small business is located outside the defined disaster area for the eligible disaster but is operated at least sometimes on a regular basis in the area; and
- plant or equipment of the small business situated in the defined disaster area has been damaged as a result of the eligible disaster.
What documents do I need to provide with my applications?
If you have already applied for assistance from QRIDA please provide your QRIDA Client ID Number. Please do not mail original documents as we are unable to return them.
Rates Notice / Lease Agreement
- Your small business must be located within a defined disaster area. If you own the property, please attach a copy of your most recent Local Government rates notice for the property impacted by the disaster event.
- If you lease the property, please attach a copy of your current lease agreement (lease agreement must confirm that you are responsible for meeting the costs being claimed).
Photographs of damage
- 5 - 10 photographs evidencing direct damage
Evidence of payment
- For grant applications up to $10,000 (i.e. for immediate resumption of business directly following the disaster event):
- Copies of tax invoices or quotes/estimates
- OR
For grant applications over $10,000 or subsequent applications up to $40,000:
- Copies of tax invoices AND evidence that these invoices have been paid (e.g. bank statements, electronic bank transfer confirmations or official supplier receipts).
Details of insurance
If insured, full details and a copy of your insurance policy and/or claim must be provided. Please be aware QRIDA is unable to finalise your Disaster Assistance Grant application until the outcome of your insurance claim is determined and formal advice of the claim outcome is provided. If you are eligible to claim under your insurance policy, you must do so, and have that claim finalised before lodging an application for grant assistance.
Defined disaster areas
The Minister for Fire and Emergency Services has activated disaster assistance for Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding, 13 - 28 December 2023.
To be eligible for assistance your business must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Cairns Regional Council
- Cassowary Coast Regional Council
- Cook Shire Council
- Douglas Shire Council
- Hopevale Aboriginal Shire Council
- Mareeba Shire Council
- Tablelands Regional Council
- Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council
- Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council
QRIDA administers financial assistance to disaster affected primary producers, businesses and non-profit organisations under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Frequently asked questions
The certificate of insurance and details of your claim are required to apply for this grant. The grant cannot cover repairs that will be covered by insurance. However, items that are not covered, and your excess may be eligible.
Yes, we welcome you to apply before you know the outcome. QRIDA will work with you to determine what damage may be covered by your insurance policy.
Please note that assessing applications before finalising insurance claims may take longer than if you were to apply after the insurance outcome is known.
Direct damage is physical damage that occurred as a result of the event. For example, immediate damage caused by flood water flowing through your property, or damage to a fence because of a bush fire on your property.
Indirect damage is the losses sustained as a consequence of the disaster. For example, downturn in customer foot traffic from road closures, loss of income or spoilage due to power outages.
For direct damage you may be eligible for an Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant and/or a Disaster Assistance Loan. For indirect damage you may be eligible for an Essential Working Capital Disaster Assistance Loan.
Loss of income is not eligible under the Special Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant scheme. If your business has not experienced direct damage, but has suffered a significant loss of income as a result of the disaster event you may be eligible to apply for a Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loan.
A certificate of insurance and details of the claim are required to apply for this grant given the grant cannot cover repairs that will be covered by insurance. However, insurance excesses and items that are not covered by insurance may be eligible.
Normal staffing costs are ineligible unless they can demonstrate additional costs are incurred for clean-up and reinstatement purposes.
- Permanent employees (including permanent full-time and permanent part-time) – only the costs of additional hours worked (e.g. overtime or extra hours / days) to assist with the clean-up and reinstatement of the enterprise
- Contractors, casuals or temporary staff - who are engaged specifically for clean-up and reinstatement of the enterprise. If contractors, casuals or temporary staff are already employed, however, the day to day labour requirement which they were originally contracted to do has decreased or ceased altogether due to the eligible disaster, and they are assisting with clean up, these costs for clean-up and reinstatement purposes only may be eligible.
Evidence required could include payroll summary verifying staff and wage costs incurred for clean-up and reinstatement purposes only and signed by the applicant.
Yes, however, you will need to provide satisfactory evidence of damage to your premises evidencing that you are unable to conduct your operations from that site and of costs associated with leasing or renting the temporary premises.
You may be eligible to apply for more than one grant if you were directly affected by both events. Please contact QRIDA 1800 623 946 or email contact_us@qrida.qld.gov.au
You are able to use relatives to repair your damage as long as transactions are retained at arm’s length and conducted in the same way as with any other contractor. Any contractors used must have an ABN and provide a tax invoice and official receipt for work completed. QRIDA may request additional information in these circumstances to confirm the validity of the claim.
Yes, you are entitled to a decision review. See reviewing a decision for more information.
QRIDA is committed to ensuring due administrative processes are undertaken with the decisioning of applications for Government assistance.
When making decisions on applications, as well as the internal review of a decision, QRIDA follows the QRIDA Decision-Making Policy and Procedure.
You can view this Policy and Procedure on the Reviewing a decision page.
Applications have been extended to 30 June 2025.
What assistance is available?
Grants of up to $50,000 are available for affected non-profit organisations following Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding, 13 - 28 December 2023 to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, repair or replace damaged infrastructure or goods and other costs associated with the recovery process. Organisations should take photographs of the direct damage to accompany their application/s.
Applicants need to show they are an eligible non-profit organisation, within the declared disaster area and demonstrate they have suffered direct impact from the disaster. Read below and the guidelines for more information.
The maximum grant amount available is $50,000 and can be accessed through the following:
- Initial application/s up to the total amount of $10,000 is available to support an initial claim. Evidence of the direct damage is required such as photographs and quotations, tax invoices or official receipts.
- Subsequent application/s up to the total amount of $40,000 is available to support subsequent claims for which full evidence of payment is required.
Complete applications are assessed in order of receipt and QRIDA may request further information to help assess an application.
How may the assistance help you?
Eligible clean-up, reinstatement activities and emergency measures include:
- Equipment and materials to undertake clean-up
- Additional labour costs (above and beyond normal wage expenditure i.e. day-to-day staffing)
- Disposing of damaged goods and stock, including associated costs
- Repairs to buildings (other than housing)
- Purchase or hire/ lease costs for equipment essential to the immediate resumption of the business
- Payment for tradespeople to conduct safety inspections
- Essential repairs to premises and internal fittings that are not covered by insurance
- Replacement of lost or damaged stock if the replacement is essential for immediately resuming operations
- Leasing temporary premises for the purpose of resuming operation
Am I eligible?
To be eligible for an Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant, you as the applicant must:
- be a non-profit organisation
- have a non-profit organisation located in the defined area for the eligible disaster and have suffered direct damage as a result of the eligible disaster
- have been engaged in carrying on the non-profit organisation when affected by the eligible disaster
- be primarily responsible for meeting the costs claimed in the application
- be unable to repair or replace assets directly damaged as a result of the eligible disaster from the applicant’s own resources without assistance under the scheme; and
- intend to re-establish the organisation in the defined disaster area for the eligible disaster.
An applicant may also be eligible for an Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant if both of the following apply:
- The non-profit organisation is located outside the defined disaster area for the eligible disaster but carried on at least sometimes on a regular basis in the area.
- Plant or equipment of the non-profit organisation situated in the defined disaster area has been damaged as a result of the eligible disaster.
Defined disaster areas
The Minister for Fire and Emergency Services has activated disaster assistance for Tropical Cyclone Jasper, associated rainfall and flooding, 13 - 28 December 2023.
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Cairns Regional Council
- Cassowary Coast Regional Council
- Cook Shire Council
- Douglas Shire Council
- Mareeba Shire Council
- Tablelands Regional Council
- Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire Council
- Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council
QRIDA administers financial assistance to disaster affected primary producers, businesses and non-profit organisations under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Frequently asked questions
The certificate of insurance and details of your claim are required to apply for this grant. The grant cannot cover repairs that will be covered by insurance. However, items that are not covered, and your excess may be eligible.
Yes, we welcome you to apply before you know the outcome. QRIDA will work with you to determine what damage may be covered by your insurance policy.
Please note that assessing applications before finalising insurance claims may take longer than if you were to apply after the insurance outcome is known.
Direct damage is physical damage that occurred as a result of the event. For example, immediate damage caused by flood water flowing through your property, or damage to a fence because of a bush fire on your property.
Indirect damage is the losses sustained as a consequence of the disaster. For example, downturn in customer foot traffic from road closures, loss of income or spoilage due to power outages.
For direct damage you may be eligible for an Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant and/or a Disaster Assistance Loan. For indirect damage you may be eligible for an Essential Working Capital Disaster Assistance Loan.
Loss of income is not eligible under the Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant scheme.
A certificate of insurance and details of the claim are required to apply for this grant given the grant cannot cover repairs that will be covered by insurance. However, insurance excesses and items that are not covered by insurance may be eligible.
You may be eligible to apply for more than one grant if you were directly affected by both events. Please contact QRIDA 1800 623 946 or email contact_us@qrida.qld.gov.au
Applicants are able to apply for assistance under the scheme in only one of the following capacities:
- Primary producer; or
- Small business owner; or
- Non-profit organisation.
Yes, however, you will need to provide satisfactory evidence of damage to your premises evidencing that you are unable to conduct your operations from that site and of costs associated with leasing or renting the temporary premises.
You are able to use relatives to repair your damage as long as transactions are retained at arm’s length and conducted in the same way as with any other contractor. Any contractors used must have an ABN and provide a tax invoice and official receipt for work completed. QRIDA may request additional information in these circumstances to confirm the validity of the claim.
Yes, you are entitled to a decision review. See reviewing a decision for more information.
QRIDA is committed to ensuring due administrative processes are undertaken with the decisioning of applications for Government assistance.
When making decisions on applications, as well as the internal review of a decision, QRIDA follows the QRIDA Decision-Making Policy and Procedure.
You can view this Policy and Procedure on the Reviewing a decision page.
