Disaster Assistance Ramped Up in Victoria and Queensland

Disaster assistance across Queensland and Victoria has been expanded for impacted regions as insurers brace for more claims.

In Queensland, ongoing flooding linked to the North Queensland Monsoon Trough and ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji has triggered further activations under the joint Commonwealth & State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Personal Hardship Assistance has also been switched on for eligible residents in targeted localities, providing emergency payments of $180 for individuals and up to $900 for families of five or more for essentials such as food, clothing and medicine. Extensions have also been granted for residents in previously activated areas to apply for the payments.

Support has been broadened for primary producers, with impacted eligible to apply for disaster loans of up to $250,000 and freight subsidies up to $5,000, aimed at accelerating clean-up and sustaining livestock operations.

In Victoria, support has been extended for communities hit by the January bushfires, with the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) available.

The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA), which provides up to 13 weeks’ income support for workers and sole traders who lose income, has also been extended to additional LGAs.

The federal government has recently announced providing more than $1.7 million in additional disaster support for communities in Victoria and Queensland affected by recent fires and flooding.

Shared across 39 Commonwealth funded Emergency Relief providers, this funding will help individuals and families recovering from natural disasters access essential items like food, clothing and petrol vouchers.

It will also allow providers to offer extra support to those in need, including referrals to financial counselling, mental health support, and other services that may help people through this challenging high-risk weather season.

The ramp-up in assistance comes as the Insurance Council of Australia reported extreme weather generated almost $3.5 billion in insured losses from 264,000 claims in 2025, with severe hailstorms over five weeks in October and November accounting for more than $1.4 billion.