No let-up for Queensland's longest-running disaster

The rain depression that resulted from Cyclone Debbie bypassed a large part of the state that is most desperate for rain, and the Western Queensland Drought Appeal is still very much in active mode, according to its chairman.

David Phelps said they had scaled back their message on the back of relief rain over winter for some, while they waited to see how summer panned out.

“We didn’t want to go public and ask for money if it was raining, but we will certainly ramp up again now,” he said.

As well as distributing all 2000 of the initial Westpac Visa cards, $500,000 worth, the group has almost completed a second survey that shows business turnover has gone down even more in the last six months.

The initial survey, undertaken in Longreach only, showed a downturn in business of 40 to 50 per cent thanks to ongoing drought.

Latest findings show another 20 to 30 per cent drop since September last year, which David said was reflected right across the western region.

“For some businesses, tourism starting up again will help, but there is still a massive cash flow problem,” he said.

For grazing businesses that managed to restock to some extent, purse strings are even tighter thanks to the cost outlay.

A Queensland Health grant is enabling the drought appeal group to employ social scientist Dana Kelly to gather data to inform federal and state planning in future.

David said the bigger picture, including the knock-on effect to businesses in towns, would be completed by May and would involve drought assistance reviews and the development of regional economic strategies.

“I’d like to see governments take a broad community perspective,” David said. “Drought policy might need to focus on agricultural businesses, but it at least needs to acknowledge the effect on towns.”

He said Dana would be looking at drought recovery policies from around the world as she considered recommendations.

The fact that the money for the study came from a health source points to the acknowledgement that the slow-moving natural disaster was having as great an effect on people’s wellbeing as their bank accounts.

The group’s administration was funded by a $30,000 grant from the state government, which has been renewed for this year.

“Once the drought is finally over there will still be a cash drought, and the premier’s director-general, Dave Stewart has pledged to support us through that 12 month period as well,” he said. “This means the vast majority of donations, about 98 per cent, are going directly to graziers.”