$85,000 TO FUND FLOOD RECOVERY WORKSHOPS IN SURAT BASIN

The Honourable Tim Mulherin

14 Mar 11

 Flood recovery workshops will be held for businesses in the Darling Downs, Granite Belt and South West region with $85,000 funding from the Queensland Government. 


Minister for Agriculture, Food and Regional Economies Tim Mulherin announced the funding today at Toowoomba Community Cabinet for the Surat Basin Regional Development Corporation from the Queensland Regional Development Initiative (QRDI).

"More than 1000 local businesses have been directly affected by flooding and many more indirectly affected through road and rail closures, visitor cancellations, restrictions in availability of stock and supplies and other impacts," Mr Mulherin said.

"The funding the Surat Basin Regional Development Corporation has received will help in the recovery process by allowing them to run 20 workshops in seven locations between now and mid June.

"The workshops will be held at Toowoomba, Dalby, Chinchilla, Roma, St George, Goondiwindi and Warwick.

"Th ese workshops, along with one-on-one sessions, will give participants information and resources to assist them recover from the economic losses they have experienced, as well as strengthen their resilience for future events."

Mr Mulherin said the workshops were being held in response to feedback gleaned from door knocking, business surveys and meetings with individuals.

"The SBRDC will work with the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation as well as local chambers of commerce and local governments to ensure the workshops meet the needs of those in attendance," Mr Mulherin said.

"Open to a range of businesses, including retailers, farmers, service providers and manufacturers, the workshops will also link to other government services.

"Topics to be covered include managing cash flows in difficult times, managing and retaining staff, and business diversification and risk management."

QRDI targets economic development projects and activities in Cairns, Wide Bay-Burnett, the Darling Downs-Surat, Townsville, Fitzroy and Mackay/Whitsunday. It also benefits five remote development organisations - Cape York Sustainable Futures Inc., Gulf Savannah Development Inc, Mount Isa Townsville Enterprise Zone, Remote Area Promotions and Development and South West Regional Economic Development.

The QRDI initiative commits $7.52 million over four years to fund the State's regional and remote development organisations 

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