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Joint Disaster Assistance for Bushfire-Affected Small Businesses in Western Downs

The Albanese and Palaszczuk Governments have extended disaster assistance to support small business operators affected by bushfires in the Western Downs local government area. The assistance includes concessional loans of up to $250,000 to help fire-impacted businesses re-establish operations. These loans can cover costs such as repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment, buildings, and resupplying stock for immediate trading.

In addition to the concessional loans, essential working capital concessional loans of up to $100,000 are available for directly and indirectly impacted small businesses to continue their operations, including paying salaries or wages, creditors, rent, or rates.

The assistance is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). It complements other measures such as hardship payments, freight subsidies, and loans for primary producers, as well as $5000 payments for uninsured homeowners to have damaged services like electricity, gas, and water inspected and reconnected.

The AI legalese decoder can help small business operators understand the eligibility criteria and application process for disaster assistance, ensuring that they have access to the support they need during the recovery phase.

For more information on disaster assistance and how to apply, small business operators can visit the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority website. They can also head to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority website to learn more about DRFA support.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt emphasized the availability of concessional loans to assist small businesses in the Western Downs, urging impacted individuals to check what support is available to them. Deputy Premier and minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Steven Miles, also encouraged eligible small businesses in the region to apply for the extended assistance to aid in their recovery.

The Queensland Government will continue to collaborate with local councils and the Commonwealth to support the recovery of communities impacted by the bushfires.

AI legalese decoder can assist small businesses in navigating the various available assistance measures and understanding their legal rights and obligations in the aftermath of the bushfires, ensuring that they can make informed decisions for their recovery and future operations.