Point-scoring hindering Qld flood recovery

5 Feb 2013, 7:46 pm   -   Source: AAP
Queenslanders have been offered disaster assistance to aid their recovery from the flood crisis. (AAP)

Queenslanders have been offered disaster assistance to aid their recovery from the flood crisis. (AAP)

The federal and Queensland governments are blaming each for a delay in setting up a disaster assistance deal for the state.

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Political point scoring in an election year appears to be hindering Queensland's flood recovery.

The federal and Queensland governments are blaming each for holding up a disaster assistance deal, called the National Partnership Agreement (NPA).

The federal minister responsible for Queensland's flood recovery, Joe Ludwig, took to Queensland's airwaves on Tuesday morning to criticise the state government for a slow response.

"Pick up the phone, talk to us, tell us we want a National Partnership Agreement," Mr Ludwig told the ABC.

"Make a decision."

But Treasurer Tim Nicholls said he wrote to federal Treasurer Wayne Swan last Wednesday, and gave a copy to Senator Ludwig, asking for a deal similar to that set up after the 2011 disasters.

He says it is the Commonwealth which hasn't agreed, as yet, to include payments for damaged community infrastructure, such as parks.

And Mr Nicholls said payouts would be slowed by the federal government insisting on final approval on payments over $1 million.

"We have not yet received a position from the federal government on these changes," Mr Nicholls said.

He said Senator Ludwig wanted to turn the floods into a public bunfight.

"Clearly this is an election year ... I think everyone understands what's going on," he said.

"The actions the federal government is taking seem to be designed for political outcome, rather than to rebuilding their communities."

The two ministers spoke on Tuesday afternoon and Mr Nicholls said he was hopeful they would have an NPA ready in the very near future.

The Queensland opposition said the last thing flood weary people wanted to see was political buck-passing and squabbling.

"By Mr Nicholls delaying the signing of a National Partnership Agreement he has also delayed the fast-tracking of rebuilding," Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mulherin said.

Mr Nicholls expects the recovery costs and economic impacts to be more than the estimated $2.4 billion, as well as hurting the state's rate of economic growth.

In Brisbane, Mayor Graham Quirk put the city's damage bill at more than $60 million on Tuesday.

He said council would pick up $23 million of the tab if the federal government didn't agree to pay for damaged community infrastructure.

The damage bill in the Lockyer Valley, a fertile farming area west of Brisbane, could exceed $500 million.

Mayor Steve Jones said up to 100 people living in Laidley's south might have to be relocated, copying a similar land swap put in place for nearby Grantham after the 2011 floods.

Part of the NPA could include assistance for farmers and small businesses to retain their local workers in the worst flood-hit areas of Bundaberg, North Burnett, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim.

Growcom chief executive Alex Livingstone said they had suffered two floods in two years and were now dealing with the loss of fertile top soil, not to mention average crop losses of $300,000.

"There will be people who are forced off the land," Mr Livingstone told AAP.

Flood victims will start receiving emergency payments from the public appeal, a day after the head of the aid appeal said donations totally $6 million were too low.

Payments of $2000, not means-tested, will be given to every adult and $1000 for each dependent child from Tuesday.

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