CANEGROWERS Media Release

3 May 2011

Get on blower and access cyclone clean up help: CANEGROWERS

While the media from Yasi has all but blown over, the clean up following the Category 5 cyclone has only just begun. CANEGROWERS has heartily welcomed deployment of ‘Industry Recovery Officers’ who will assist Cyclone Yasi impacted primary producers and tourism businesses get back on their feet.

The peak group for sugarcane growers is encouraging those in need to make full use of these resources in the recovery effort.

Six government funded recovery officers have been deployed across sugarcane areas affected by Yasi; Amabile Destro and Sandra Henrich (Cairns), Tammy Austin and Deb Telford (Innisfail), Leona Gangemi (Herbert River) and Peter Reed (Tully). They are based in the local CANEGROWERS office at each location.

“Recovery from such a major upheaval is a massive job – it is all too easy to forget how traumatic it is after the media stops rolling disaster coverage – but the hard work in the clean-up starts now. These officers will provide critical support to farms to get back on track,” says CANEGROWERS CEO, Steve Greenwood.

"Their main priority is to work with local industry and businesses to help them determine their recovery needs, and link them with services such as financial counsellors, mental health professionals and farming system experts.”

Greenwood praised the Queensland Government for leadership in backing the recovery effort. "This $1.7 million program will employ 18 much needed Industry Recovery Officers across the agriculture and tourism sectors for nine months, with $1.16 million of funding from the Queensland Government and $555,000 from industry," he said.

“For nine months, these industry recovery officers will be on-ground providing direct, face-to-face help in the effort to get the affected areas back in business as soon as possible. They will also help Operation Clean Up coordinators prioritise debris clearing work.”

The industry recovery officers are local people who know the local industry. “CANEGROWERS is recommending affected growers make contact and tell their local officer about their farm’s circumstances – whether they have a specific issue in mind or not. We fought hard to get these resources in place and they are there to help, so get on the blower and make the call,” Greenwood urges.

The deadline for WAGE Assistance Subsidies (WAS) has been extended for far north Queensland employers impacted by Cyclone Yasi from May 13 to June 30. The boundary of the area eligible for assistance has also been extended to include the part of Cairns Regional Council south of 17 degrees latitude south. CANEGROWERS says WAS as a vital interim measure needed to avoid a local recession after such widespread destruction of a Category 5 cyclone. IROs will assist eligible farms and small businesses to reapply with Centrelink for WAS where they have been previously rejected.

CLICK ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS BELOW TO DOWNLOAD HIGHER RESOLUTION IMAGES

Leona Gangemi Herbert River 07 4776 5350	Tammy Austin Innisfail 07 4063 2477	Deb Telford Innisfail 07 4063 2477	Peter Reed Tully 07 4068 1077	Amabile Destro Cairns Region 07 4056 1251	Sandra Henrich Cairns Region 07 4056 1251

Media comment: Steve Greenwood | CANEGROWERS CEO | 0488 721 156
More information: Suzi Moore | CANEGROWERS Communications | 0427 641 239 or 07 3864 6444