18 May 2026.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is being urged to urgently reverse his government’s decision to reject an application for a restocking allowance to support the agricultural industry to get back on its feet following the devastating North West Queensland floods.
Mayors from across the North West impacted by the disasters have joined with key industry groups AgForce and the Queensland Farmers Federation in a call to the Federal Government to not to turn its back on primary producers and communities when they need support the most.
North West Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils (NWQROC) chair and Etheridge Shire Mayor Barry Hughes said the decision not to support the restocking allowance would have serious impacts across communities.
“North West Queensland is in a critical moment of recovery after consecutive and prolonged disasters, and this decision is a serious blow to rebuilding our vital agricultural industry.”
“The impact will be felt well beyond the paddock, across our communities, local economies and the wider cattle industry.”
“We saw similar grants rolled out in the Central and South West following flooding last year with $100 million provided to rebuild exclusion fencing. This isn’t just a bad decision, it’s clearly unfair.”
Deputy Chair of NWQROC and McKinlay Shire Mayor Janene Fegan said the impact of this year’s flooding outstripped what her area had experienced in 2019, with prolonged isolation and skyrocketing fuel costs making the road to recovery all the more challenging.
“This has put the region back by years economically with more than double the roads and fencing that was damaged in 2019.
“Producers and communities across the North West have shown the incredible return on investment of disaster recovery and resilience dollars which are further boosted with private investment, resources and improvements. To pull up now on this effort, leaving a gaping hole in our industry’s momentum, will be catastrophic.”
AgForce CEO Niki Ford said right now the industry needed to be supported.
"This is a devastating blow for an industry already reeling from the impact of repeated natural disasters as well as rising fuel and fertiliser prices on primary production and transport,” Ms Ford said.
"Queensland's farmers are sorely disappointed by the Federal Government's apparent lack of recognition of the impact of these floods on what is a vital industry for Australia's bottom line - the effects of this decision will be felt across the country. "
Queensland Farmers’ Federation CEO Jo Sheppard said this decision is at odds with the intent of the Commonwealth’s National Food Security Strategy.
“This decision couldn’t have come at a worse time for Queensland farmers who are grappling with fuel and fertiliser supply shocks on the back of consecutive disaster seasons,” Ms Sheppard said.
“The Federal Government’s own National Food Security Strategy rightly acknowledges resilience as a critical goal in developing the future of Australia’s food supply system, which makes this decision all the more disappointing.”
Local Government Association of Queensland President Mayor Matt Burnett said the decision not to fund a restocking allowance for impacted producers was hard to fathom given they had rightly been given access to such support following previous disasters.
“Access to a restocking allowance has been a critical ask of industry, impacted councils and their local communities and the State Government,” Mayor Burnett said.
“The Federal Government cannot walk away from these communities when they need them the most. They need to reverse this decision immediately.”
Mayor Hughes urged the Federal Government to rethink its decision and called for a summit to be held so industry and all levels of government could come together to chart a path forward.
“NWQROC is calling for an Agricultural Summit to bring the region together and plan for what comes next,” Mayor Hughes said.