The worst may be over after Alfred’s category downgrade, but with several areas are still at risk of flooding or currently flooded, roads cut off and hundreds of thousands of homes without power, many residents find themselves in need of support. Whether it’s property damage, lack of power or resources, there are systems and community initiatives set in place to help you navigate the next steps in disaster recovery.
Knowledge is power
First, we strongly advise you to stay updated with the latest information. This can be via the following reliable sources:
- Brisbane City Council Emergency Dashboard
- BOM Queensland Warnings and Brisbane weather alerts
- QLD Traffic (remember to avoid driving through flood waters and stay off the roads unless it’s strictly necessary)
- Energex Outage Finder
In case of emergency or in need of assistance, it’s a good idea to keep 000 and the following numbers handy:
- State Emergency Service (SES): 132 500 or the SES Assistance QLD app
- Health Contact Centre: 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84)
- Homeless Hotline: 1800 474 753 24
- Community Recovery Hotline: 1800 173 349
- Police Assistance Hotline (PAL): 13 14 44
- Life-threatening power emergencies: 13 19 62
- Power outages: 13 62 62
How to get financial Assistance
Financial assistance has been made available to Gold Coast, Redlands and Logan residents who have been impacted. There are different payments and types of assistance depending on your circumstances, and you can find all the relevant information here.
On the other hand, the government has also announced a one-off Disaster Recovery Allowance, which offers up to 13 weeks of income support to people working in impacted areas. You can apply through the myGOV website. In order to claim it, you will need a myGOV login and a Centrelink account, then choose ‘Make a claim’, ‘Help in an emergency’ then ‘Apply for Disaster Recovery Allowance’.
Australian residents and specified visa holders who are 16 years or older and can prove their income has been directly affected by the disaster are eligible for the allowance. Workers in these SEQ regions will be eligible: Brisbane, Fraser Coast, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redland, Scenic Rim, Somerset, Southern Downs and Sunshine Coast. The amount you receive will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Brisbane City Council will also provide a one-off $7,500 payment to not-for-profit community organisations who have been impacted. To be eligible for this Community Clean-Up Payment, organisations must meet the following criteria:
- Be operating from or located within a Brisbane City Council leased or licensed community facility
- Have been impacted by the recent severe weather event
- Have completed the Post-Tropical Cyclone Damage Survey sent out to tenants on March 10
How to help
Of course, community and solidarity is more important now than ever, so if you are safe and can lend a hand, this is the perfect time to reach out to those who have been affected, and you can do so in various ways according to your means and abilities.
You can, for example, volunteer your time and speed up the cleaning process by helping clear debris. Volunteering Queensland coordinates registration for volunteer clean-ups in communities affected by floods and other emergencies. You can register as an individual, an organisation or a volunteer group.
You can also offer your personal assistance to vulnerable people, who require assistance with green waste or have flood-affected household items, and are unable to gain assistance from their usual support network as part of a Ute Army. To this end, the Ward Office will match residents who require special assistance with local community groups or contractors to support the clean-up. You can submit a request via this Special Assistance Form. If, on the other hand, you would like to volunteer for Brisbane’s Ute Army, you can contact your local councillor.
In general, for individuals or businesses offering their services to assist with ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, you can email Council with your contact details and a brief summary of what services are being offered. Council officers will contact you if your services are required and include you on the list of potential suppliers for the duration of the recovery.
If possible, you can also consider donating emergency supplies, such as food, clothing and medical supplies to local charities.
You can find all the official resources to help here. Local online groups and forums are also a great way to connect people in need of help with those offering it directly, and we encourage you to reach out. Sometimes even just a positive message can make a difference.
Natural disasters can have far-reaching effects that continue to be felt weeks or even months after they’ve passed, so make sure you pace yourself even as you lift others up.