The Nationals WA Leader and Member for the Mid West, Shane Love MLA, has welcomed the Cook Labor Government’s extended cyclone recovery package, saying it follows months of sustained advocacy by The Nationals WA for Gascoyne pastoralists and regional communities devastated by Cyclone Narelle.
Mr Love said today’s announcement of a $5.8 million Disaster Recovery Assistance Program for Primary Producers, and a $3.5 million Small to Medium Business Recovery Package, was long overdue but a win for those on the ground who had been calling for meaningful support.
“These packages are a step in the right direction and reflect what The Nationals have been demanding for weeks – real assistance for pastoralists, growers and small businesses who were left struggling in the aftermath of Cyclone Narelle,” Mr Love said.
In correspondence to Premier Roger Cook in May, Mr Love highlighted the severe impact of the cyclone on pastoral stations across the Gascoyne, where winds of almost 200km/h and intense rainfall caused widespread destruction of homes, fencing, infrastructure and livestock losses.
He also raised serious concerns that existing assistance was inadequate, with some families initially receiving as little as $2,000 in relief despite their homes being uninhabitable, and described the application process as “…protracted, impersonal and frustrating.”
“Pastoralists were dealing with the compounding impacts of drought followed by a devastating cyclone, yet many were locked out of meaningful support. The amount offered was, in most cases, offensive,” Mr Love said.
“We made it clear to the Premier that the recovery response needed to reflect the scale and unique nature of pastoral operations, where it can take months to properly assess damage across vast properties.”
Mr Love said The Nationals WA had consistently pushed for improved disaster assistance, including calls for upgraded funding categories and tailored criteria to ensure pastoralists were eligible for support.
The newly announced recovery program will provide grants of up to $40,000 to primary producers to assist with clean-up and reinstatement, while small and medium businesses can access up to $20,000 to support recovery efforts.
Mr Love said the inclusion of support for non-tourism small businesses in Exmouth was also critical, acknowledging that many enterprises rely heavily on visitor numbers.
“Regional economies are interconnected. When tourism drops off, local businesses suffer, and that has flow-on impacts for jobs and community stability,” he said.
“While we welcome this announcement, The Nationals WA will continue to hold the Cook Government to account to ensure this support is delivered quickly, fairly and reaches those who need it most.”
Mr Love said recovery across the Gascoyne and north-west regions would take time and sustained commitment.
“We will keep fighting to make sure no pastoralist or small business is left behind in the recovery from Cyclone Narelle.”