Various resources are available to support businesses impacted by the recent rainfall and floods across Queensland. Find out more below.

Small Business Disaster Hub 

The Small Business Disaster Hub website has a range of resources to help businesses prevent, prepare, respond, and recover following a natural disaster. Useful topics include:

• What your business should do after a natural disaster – covers the key areas that you should address immediately, including contacting your insurance provider, cleaning up safely, and assessing your business.
• Rebuilding your business after a natural disaster – provides practical advice on how to rebuild your small business after a natural disaster including re-establishing your premises and business records, managing and paying staff, assessing your finances, and more.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available for eligible flood affected communities from both the Queensland and Australian Governments.

Personal Hardship Financial Assistance is available for Brisbane, Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, North Burnett, Somerset, and Sunshine Coast and includes:

• Emergency Hardship Assistance Grants – to support people directly impacted by a disaster to who are unable to meet their immediate essential needs for food, clothing, medical supplies or temporary accommodation. Eligible applicants may receive $180 per person up to $900 for a family of 5 or more. For more information, contact the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349 or visit www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies
• Essential Household Contents Grant – available to those who are uninsured, or unable to claim insurance, to provide a contribution towards replacing or repairing essential household contents, such as beds, linen and whitegoods, that have been lost or damaged in a disaster. Grants of up to $1,765 for single adults and up to $5,300 for couples/families are available.

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment – provides a lump sum payment for eligible people adversely affected by the South East Queensland floods.

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Allowance – a short-term payment to help people who have lost income as a direct result of the floods in South East Queensland.

Legal Aid Queensland

Businesses can call the natural disaster legal help line on 1300 527 700 to get help with issues they may face when their property has been damaged by a natural disaster or severe weather.

The natural disaster legal help page has a range of resources available, including  information on the impact of flooding on on leased and commercial premises, and flood and cyclone legal help.

Mental Health Support

Both the State and Federal Government, as well as other agencies, have developed a range of mental health and wellbeing resources to help small business owners.

NewAccess for Small Business Owners is a free and confidential mental health coaching program, developed by Beyond Blue to give small business owners, including sole traders the support they need.

Natural Disaster Business Survey

The Department of Employment, Small Business and Training has released the Natural Disaster Business Survey to help understand the impact of the recent rainfall and flooding on businesses in Southeast Queensland, Maryborough, the Fraser Coast, and Toowoomba to determine the assistance they require.

This is a longer-term plan to assist business and responses received from this process will be used to inform potential joint State and Federal government disaster recovery assistance for small business.

Fair Work Australia

Fair Work Australia has information about employee entitlements during natural disasters or emergencies. If you have to close your business temporarily after a natural disaster you may be able to change employment arrangements, including standing down staff without pay. Phone the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 for specific information on your circumstances or visit fairwork.gov.au.

Source: Department of Employment, Small Business and Training

4 March 2022