Land rent scrapped for flood-affected landholders

Thousands of flood-ravaged North Queenslanders will get a helping hand through a $5 million land rent reprieve.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the matter was raised when she visited North West Queensland and more than 3000 landholders will benefit from the reprieve.

“Our graziers have been through very trying times. They’ve been in drought and now a natural disaster of this scale means they’ve been hit again,” she says.

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“$5 million worth of land rent due between 1 March and 30 November will automatically be deferred for up to nine months.

“We’re doing what we can to help and I also asked Agriculture Minister Mark Furner to continue to visit North West communities this week to ensure they are getting what they need.”

Landholders’ land rent bills can range from $500 to around $16,000. Practical help for landholders is our priority with the community recovery effort underway

Furner says affected landholders will not have to pay their land rent bill until December 1.

“We understand recovering from severe weather events can take its toll financially and emotionally,” he says.

“Landholders’ land rent bills can range from $500 to around $16,000. Practical help for landholders is our priority with the community recovery effort underway.

“This assistance is designed to help people get back on their feet and hopefully it is one less thing they need to worry about.”

The assistance applies in 13 local government areas including: Burdekin Shire, Carpentaria Shire, Cook Shire, Charters Towers Regional, Cloncurry Shire, Douglas Shire, Flinders Shire, Hinchinbrook Shire, McKinlay Shire, Palm Island Aboriginal Shire, Richmond Shire, Townsville City and Winton Shire.

Landholders do not need to do anything further to take up the reprieve as it is automatic.

They can also seek further extensions past December 1 by applying online at www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/state/rents/deferring/.

This article from the Townsville Bulletin originally appeared as “Government scraps land rent for flood affected landholders”.