MEDIA RELEASE


8 March 2011:  New recovery officers will help Yasi recovery, says CANEGROWERS

Four dedicated industry recovery officers will be in place in cane growing areas by end of this week. CANEGROWERS has congratulated the government activating this valuable resource, will they say will greatly assist in the recovery process following Cyclone Yasi.

The Queensland Government today announced 12 on-the-ground Industry Recovery Officer positions which will be as part of a $1.7 million nine-month project get recovery moving faster.

The activation of the recovery officer positions was the direct result of over a month of intense lobbying by CANEGROWERS, through its membership of Queensland Farmers Federation to complete the negations on behalf of cane growers and extend it to all farmers in the affected areas.

“We take our hat off to the Queensland Government for taking such a proactive step in the all important recovery phase. The recovery officers will provide practical assistance to growers in assessing what assistance is needed, then helping them to navigate the process and paperwork,” says CANEGROWERS CEO, Steve Greenwood.

“Kick starting basic recovery procedures is good for the farm and good for the local community, who are dependent on the local economy ticking along.”

CANEGROWERS says there is one more major recovery item it continues to rally government strongly on, urging the State to extend what is known as Category D to all affected areas.

“We are urging the federal government to include the area between Cairns and the Cassowary coast in respect to the rural resilience package under Category D of the natural disaster and relief recovery arrangements, which provide assistance for operation clean up,” says Greenwood.

“The faster assistance measures are extended to all affected areas, the faster the industry at large, and the sugar communities which rely so heavily on the cane industry, can return to something closer to business as usual.”


Media comment:
Steve Greenwood, CANEGROWERS CEO, 0488 721 156.
Alf Cristaudo, CANEGROWERS Chairman, 0418 181 204.

More information:
Suzi Moore, CANEGROWERS Communications, 07 3864 6444 or 0427 641 239.