Howard announces cash help for cyclone victims

Prime minister John Howard toured cyclone-shattered regions of northern Australia today and announced a multi-million dollar package of low-interest loans and tax-free grants to help farmers and small businesses begin rebuilding.

Howard said he could not say how much the package would cost, but said “some thousands” of businesses and farmers would be eligible for grants of 10,000 Australian dollars (€5,900) to help with the clean up and low-interest loans of up to €117,000.

“This is our initial response,” Howard told a meeting of farmers in the shattered town of Innisfail. “I think it’s a very comprehensive response to a very difficult situation.”

Howard did not immediately announce aid for people who lost their homes when the category five cyclone slammed into the coast on Monday morning, but said the aid for businesses would help individual citizens.

“The best thing we can do for them is get business going again,” he said.

After visiting Innisfail – ground zero of the storm’s damage – Howard said it was a miracle nobody was killed on Monday.

“I am absolutely, not only amazed, but thankful to the Almighty,” Howard said. “It’s a miracle there have been no fatalities.”