Insurers stand ready to assist

I'VE held discussions with the Insurance Council of Australia, as well as one of Queensland’s largest insurers Suncorp, today to discuss assistance measures for people dealing with the after-effects of cyclone and storm surge damage.Suncorp have advised me that they have teams on standby to be deployed on the ground and they are gearing up their call centre capacity to take higher numbers of claim calls in the wake of Cyclone Debbie.While we have to await the outcome of Cyclone Debbie to see just what the extent of the damage is to homes and businesses and crops in the Mackay, Whitsundays, Bowen and Burdekin regions, the Insurance Council of Australia can also declare what they call an ‘insurance catastrophe’ depending on the number of people impacted.

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NQ access to NDIS on the way

18 MARCH 2016: North Queenslanders living with disability will have access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) from November 1. The NDIS will enable participants in Mackay, the Whitsundays, and Isaac region to get lifelong individual support packages, with the right to select the support and services that are right for them. It’s one of the largest social policy reforms in Australia’s history.

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Minister’s Mackay visit to canvass ideas

29 JANUARY 2016: Mackay residents will provide direct input into a regional policy process when the Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister visits Mackay. The Liberal National Government is formulating a policy that will set out a long-term vision for regional Australia and North Queensland will play a vital role in the process.

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Region needs a ‘year of opportunity’ in 2016

27 NOVEMBER 2015: A dedicated agency tasked with job creation and industry development could make 2016 a year of opportunity for the greater Mackay region.

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