Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Updates
Paroo Shire Council hopes that the below resources are of assistance to people looking for information relating to Coronavirus (COVID-19).
We encourage anyone who requires further assistance, who wants to talk through their options or for those without internet access to please contact:
Business and job related:
Kelly Schmidt - Economic Development Officer
0472 870 774 or kelly.schmidt@paroo.qld.gov.au
Personal and community-related:
Toni-Lou Pender
Team Leader Community Services
0487 558 422 or toni.pender@paroo.qld.gov.au
Council updates:
Paroo Shire Council here to help during Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Issued Thursday 2 April, 1.30 pm - Click here to view
Message from Mayor Lindsay Godfrey - Travellers please sit tight and stay safe
Issued Thursday 27 March, 9.30 am - Click here to view
Community Notice regarding Paroo Shire Council services and closures
Issued Wednesday 25 March, 5.15 pm - Click here to view
Business Continuity & Crisis Recovery Webinar
Webinar from 4 pm on Friday 27 March, RSVP essential to get webinar link - registrations have closed for this event.
Local Assistance:
Rural Financial Counselling Service
The RFCS can help with identifying and assisting you to access grants, loans and other support programs - Click here for more information
Other Helpful Links:
Federal Government announcements
Regularly updated with updates from the Prime Minister - www.australia.gov.au
Download the Coronavirus created by the Federal Government - www.health.gov.au/resources/apps-and-tools/coronavirus-australia-app
State Government announcements
Latest updates and alerts from the Queensland State Government - www.covid19.qld.gov.au
Support for individuals and households
Supply of aid available, summarised by the Australian Treasury - https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/households
Information on Centrelink payments (inc JobSeeker) for those affected by COVID-19 - www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/affected-coronavirus-covid-19
Evictions put on hold for the next 6 months for commercial and residential tenants in financial distress due to COVID-19 - www.business.gov.au/risk-management/emergency-management/coronavirus-information-and-support-for-business/a-hold-on-evictions-for-renters
Updated 25 August - If you currently receive JobKeeper payment it remains unchanged and available until 27 September 2020. On 21 July the Federal Government announced an extension of the JobKeeper Payment until 28 March 2021, targeting support to those businesses and not-for-profits who continue to be significantly impacted. From 28 September businesses and not-for-profits will be required to re-assess their eligibility for the JobKeeper extension with reference to their actual turnover. - https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/jobkeeper
Support for businesses
Information from Federal Government on grants, services and support available - www.business.gov.au
Information from State Government on grants, services and support available - www.business.qld.gov.au
Summary of aid available, summarised by the Australian Treasury - https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/businesses
Updated 25 August - Applications for the COVID-19 Jobs Support Loans from QRIDA have closed - www.qrida.qld.gov.au/current-programs/covid-19-business-support/queensland-covid19-jobs-support-scheme and guidelines fact sheet here
Become a member for free and the CCIQ can offer free support - www.cciq.com.au/coronavirus-information
Tourism businesses and events related advice from Tourism & Events Queensland - https://teq.queensland.com/industry-resources/industry-resilience/update-on-covid-19
Evictions put on hold for the next 6 months for commercial and residential tenants in financial distress due to COVID-19 - www.business.gov.au/risk-management/emergency-management/coronavirus-information-and-support-for-business/a-hold-on-evictions-for-renters
$110 million initiative backing the agricultural and fisheries sector by helping them export into key overseas markets - https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/mccormack/media-release/securing-freight-access-australia-agricultural-and-fisheries-exporters
Updated 25 August - If you currently receive JobKeeper payment it remains unchanged and available until 27 September 2020. On 21 July the Federal Government announced an extension of the JobKeeper Payment until 28 March 2021, targeting support to those businesses and not-for-profits who continue to be significantly impacted. From 28 September businesses and not-for-profits will be required to re-assess their eligibility for the JobKeeper extension with reference to their actual turnover. - https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/jobkeeper
Round 2 of the COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program is still open for regional Queensland businesses (SEQ applications are closed). The minimum grant amount is $2,000 and up to a maximum of $10,000 - www.business.qld.gov.au/starting-business/advice-support/grants/adaption
Farmers and agribusiness workers are approved to move across the border for farming and agribusiness (Border restrictions Direction No. 12) - More information here.
COVID-19 health alerts, information and guidelines
Telehealth services have been boosted to increase capacity - www.health.qld.gov.au/telehealth
Queensland Health - www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19
Queensland COVID-19 live health data and statistics - www.health.qld.gov.au/covid-data
Directives from Chief Health Officer - www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/legislation/cho-public-health-directions-under-expanded-public-health-act-powers
Let's keep our mob safe from COVID-19 - fact sheet available here
To submit a health-related enquiry or complaint (including complaints about a person who is breaching their quarantine/self-isolation directions) - phone 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84)
Education and schools
Five student free days have been declared for Monday 30 March - Friday 3 April - https://qed.qld.gov.au/about-us/news-and-media/novel-coronavirus
Update as of 25 August - Free childcare for parents who require the service to continue work came to an end of 12 July, although a new package of support measures was announced by the Australian Government on 5 August for areas in Victoria. More information available at www.dese.gov.au/covid-19-restrictions-and-early-childhood-education-and-care-sector
$17 million relief package from the Queensland Government for free community kindy for term 2. More information here.
Update as of 3 April - all schools are still set to go back for Term 2 on Monday 20 April, unless future health advice determines otherwise. Cunnamulla P-12 State School's plan for what will happen if in-person teaching at schools doesn't resume next term here.
Update as of 13 April - Queensland school students will be learning at home for the first five weeks of Term 2, with schools only open for the children of essential workers. More information here. Resources for parents teaching at home available at https://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/learning-at-home
Update as of 25 August - Schools in Queensland have been operating via in-person learning since Week 5 of Term 2. The health and safety of students, staff and the broader community is the Department of Education’s highest priority. The department continues to take advice from the Chief Health Officer and Queensland Health in making decisions regarding the operation of schools during COVID-19. More information is available at https://qed.qld.gov.au/about-us/news-and-media/novel-coronavirus
Queensland border closures (updated 25 August)
Anyone can enter Queensland unless they have been in a COVID-19 hotspot in the last 14 days. If you have been in a hotspot within the last 14 days, you will no longer be able to quarantine in Queensland and will be turned away at our border—unless you are providing an essential activity - www.qld.gov.au/about/newsroom/queensland-border-restrictions. Anyone in the Paroo Shire with the post code of 4490 or 4491 is included in 'the border zone' which means that these residents can cross the NSW/QLD border for any purpose - www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/public-health-directions/border-restrictions
Farmers and agribusiness workers are approved to move across the border for farming and agribusiness (Border restrictions Direction No. 12) - More information here.
Assistance and free extra data from Telstra
Free 25GB for post-paid and 10GB for pre-paid - www.telstra.com.au/covid19/supporting-you-during-covid-19
Assistance and free extra data from Optus
Free 20GB for post-paid and 10GB for pre-paid phone plans, plus unlimited data for eligible home broadband plans - www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/coronavirus-support
Assistance and increased data for NBN (including Sky Muster) services
Updates from NBN including working from home tips and FAQs - click here
Rex has reached an agreement with QLD Government on reduced air services (updated 9 April)
Rex will now fly to and from Cunnamulla once a week on a Wednesday and are currently waiting to hear back from the Federal Government regarding a funding application to run the service on a Sunday as well - more info here
Access audiobooks and eBooks from your home for free
Use your Rural Libraries Queensland membership (i.e. Cunnamulla, Wyandra or Yowah libraries) to access BorrowBox. More information including how to download the app here - www.borrowbox.com
Home confinement, movement and gatherings for Queenslanders (updated 25 August)
From 8am on 22 Aguust 2020 extra restrictions have been put on place in Queensland. Gatherings in homes and public spaces are limited to 30 people in Paroo Shire. Explanation on new rules here - www.covid19.qld.gov.au/government-actions/roadmap-to-easing-queenslands-restrictions