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

$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

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