Qld:Flooded cental Qld will still get drought aid, says Truss

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Qld:Flooded cental Qld will still get drought aid, says Truss

BRISBANE, Feb 14 AAP - Drought-hit farmers in central Queensland would still be eligiblefor Commonwealth Exceptional Circumstance (EC) drought assistance despite devastationcaused by floods, Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss said today.

Mr Truss flew to Rockhampton today to meet local mayors, primary producers and QueenslandPrimary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk as water still inundated many parts of theregion.

A spokesman for the federal minister said the talks had clarified the situation ondrought assistance and federal help would still be available.

"They may have had rain and discounted it for that initial period and they've certainlyhad rain recently," the spokesman said.

"But we can discount rain that may have been considered not useful, or rain that mayhave caused problems and exacerbated problems like the recent floods," he said.

The weather bureau reported 572mm of rain fell at Gladstone Airport in the seven daysto Monday, February 10, with 491mm at Miriam Vale.

Mr Truss today promised the federal government would accept full EC applications forthe central Queensland region despite the rain.

"Any application for EC drought relief prepared by the state government for parts ofcentral Queensland will be assessed sympathetically and with all due speed by the NationalDrought Task Force and the National Rural Advisory Council," he said.

AAP rad/cjh/ts

KEYWORD: DROUGHT QLD