Media Release - Disaster Recovery Workshop Success

The Disaster Recovery Workshop and proceeding networking event for local small business owners and operators impacted by the recent flooding event was well attended and received by the community.

The event which took place on Monday afternoon at the Royal Hotel had 22 local business representatives attending and ‘One-on-One Mentoring Chats’ booking out for the following day.

Representatives from Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning and the Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games as well as business mentors provided information to attendees about what support was available to them.

Deputy Mayor Mary Brown, Chair of the Hinchinbrook Disaster Recovery Group stated ‘immediately following the first flood, Council commenced discussions with relevant State Government agencies to ascertain what support could be provided to local businesses who were impacted by this event and to start the preparations to bring this first event together’.

‘There has been a very comprehensive amount of planning and collaboration across several government agencies, as well as organisations including the Hinchinbrook Chamber of Commerce Industry and Tourism and Herbert River Canegrowers to bring this workshop and mentoring meetings to the Hinchinbrook Shire’.

‘I have spoken to the agency representatives who attended Monday’s event and also those who have subsequently been meeting “One-on-one” with local businesses throughout Tuesday and they were very pleased with the workshop attendance and the level of engagement that has been taken up for the mentoring sessions’.

‘I personally was very happy with the response to the support offered by so many different agencies and I will continue to liaise with department representatives, as well as the mentors who have already begun working with local business owners, to ensure that our community is made aware of any opportunities for support being offered and are given the best possible chance to become involved’.