Yasi Recovery Effort Boosted in FNQ

WHILE the weather has conspired to delay Cyclone Yasi recovery efforts, fifteen Industry Recovery Officers (IROs) have hit the ground running in Far North Queensland to help farmers and small businesses get the assistances they need as quickly as possible.
QFF has now completed its first month of operations in the region and already over 500 of the estimated 3000 farmers impacted by the Category 5 Cyclone have started the process of getting help to clean up and rebuild their farms and businesses.
We know the task of rebuilding the FNQ economy after such a damaging event is huge, but we also know from the experiences and lessons learned from Cyclone Larry in 2006, that it is doable.
The standout message from the Larry recovery program was to get local industry people on the ground immediately to help farmers decide what needs to be done and what assistance programs best matched their particular needs.
With this in mind QFF has been working with governments to try get similar programs running for both cyclone and flood recovery efforts in Queensland this year.
By early March we had successfully concluded negotiations with DEEDI and on March 8 Minister Mulherin announced that a $1.7 million project jointly funded industry one third government two thirds would get a dozen or more Industry Recovery Officers operating in FNQ to boost industry recovery efforts across the Yasi impact region.
The key to success so far is that QFF has worked with the all the key industry players in FNQ, namely CANEGROWERS, Australian Banana Growers Council, Growcom, Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation, AgForce, Nursery and Garden Industry Queensland and Australian Prawn Farmers Association to help them select credible industry locals to take on the IRO jobs and get their industries moving again.
These IROs are local industry people working directly with farmers to help them through the application processes for relevant assistances.
They also offer the best way to provide advice to government on what is and isn’t working. QFF is providing that vital coordinating role so governments get clear messages direct from the field.
As recovery progresses it is likely some adjustments to government programs will be needed to ensure programs achieve appropriate targets. It is already clear the Wage Assistance Scheme (WAS) must be extended.
Governments have been advised that there are many cane, banana, tree and nursery farms as well as fishing businesses outside the first declared areas that have also been severely damaged by Yasi.
There is also strong evidence that ending WAS on May 13 will be premature as the recovery for many farmers and fishers has not yet occurred. This is especially the case given the seasonal employment patterns that exist for many primary industries in the region.
And everyone is mindful that the cyclone has been followed by two months of heavy rain which has greatly impeded the clean-up effort.
But working closely with the Operation Clean Up Queensland and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority teams in FNQ, I have every confidence as the weather clears that recovery momentum will build rapidly.
Further down the track QFF will be looking at ways to use the 2011 Queensland Natural Disasters Jobs and Skills Package to use employment and skills programs to boost the recovery effort, not just in cyclone impacted regions, but in the flood areas as well.
But for now, whether you are in Tully or Babinda, Cardwell or Malanda you should get in contact with your local IRO.
No matter which industry you are in, or your affiliations, all IROs are committed to helping all local industry get on with the business of recovery.