Have you accessed the latest drought funding?

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Published
17th June 2020

Have you accessed the latest drought funding?

Balonne Shire Council is urging all drought affected primary producers and employees to double-check they have accessed the $3000 one-off payment from the Drought Community Support Initiative Round 2.

Balonne Shire Mayor Samantha O’Toole said up to $3,000 per household is available to farmers, farm contractors and rural workers who are over 18 years of age and live or work in the Balonne Shire.

Cr O’Toole said St Vincent de Paul Society is distributing the DCSI Round 2 funding on behalf of the Australian Government.

“People who had funding assistance in Round 1 which concluded on 30 June 2019, are eligible to apply for Round 2.  If you’ve already received a payment from St Vincent de Paul since the 19 November 2019 then you are not eligible for another payment.”

Cr O’Toole said it can be confusing to know what assistance people are eligible for, and the most important criteria for DSCI Round 2 is the date of when you have received payments.

“So far St Vincent de Paul has assisted 224 households in the Balonne Shire with the DCSI Round 2.  That’s $678,000 worth of assistance for our region.”

Cr O’Toole said the online application process at www.vinnies.org.au/droughthelp is quick and simple and will take approximately 10 - 15 minutes to complete.

St Vincent De Paul also has a 24/7 Telephone Assistance Line: 1300 846 643

Cr O’Toole said the Australian Government’s Farm Household Allowance (FHA) also changed on 11 June 2020 to enable more farming families to receive government assistance. 

The Farmhub website is reporting that the activity supplement amount has increased from $4,000 to $10,000, and the asset test threshold increased to $5.5 million. 

For more information on the FHA contact: 13 23 16.

“Our drought is far from over, and I encourage everyone to access any assistance they are eligible for to help the local economy rebuild.”

 

 

For more information;

Balonne Shire Mayor Samantha O’Toole; m: 0428 887 100, e: Samantha.O'Toole@balonne.qld.gov.au