Cyclone Alfred is due to impact thousands of businesses in south-east Queensland and potentially northern NSW. If your business is in the firing zone, we’ve put together a quick-reference list of resources to help you prepare.
Business Queensland’s disaster hub is your one-stop shop for prepping for Cyclone Alfred. It has steps to follow before, during, and after a natural disaster, including actions you can take now that may impact your business recovery later.
If you’re based in Northern NSW, Business NSW has put together a guide for business owners with some NSW-specific information.
Remember, you are legally obligated to plan for potential emergencies in your workplace. For more information about what you need to do if you’re a Queensland-based business, this WorkSafe Queensland page has the details.
Steps your business can take now to help recover later
- Backup and secure important documents.
- Photograph and video damage before cleaning up.
- Leave CCTV running to capture damage for insurance purposes, if you have it.
- Check your insurance is up to date.
- Be aware of disaster scams that may target your business soon after or even during an emergency, when your guard is down. According to Business Queensland, these can arise in the form of charity scams, fake door-to-door repairs or tradespeople, and supplier price gouging.
Getting a head start on recovery
If you’d like to know more about the options available to you in the aftermath of a natural disaster now, here’s a quick list of key recovery tools and services.
Comprehensive recovery checklists
If you’re in Queensland, Business Queensland also has a cyclone-specific section of its disaster resource hub, which also contains a comprehensive recovery plan.
If you’re in northern NSW, the state’s Small Business Commissioner has a comprehensive recovery toolkit.
The ASBFEO has also developed a disaster response checklist which covers the preparation and aftermaths of a disastrous event.
Insurance claims
Here are state-specific insurance resources, in case you need to make an insurance claim.
Queensland: Legal Aid Queensland also has a detailed guide on making insurance claims after a natural disaster.
NSW: NSW Small Business Commissioner also has a comprehensive guide,
Financial assistance
Queensland: Business Queensland’s natural disaster support hub offers information on financial support, such as grants and low-interest loans, to aid in recovery efforts.
NSW: Service NSW provides disaster and emergency assistance for businesses, including grants and loans.
Tax relief
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) provides disaster assistance, including deferrals of lodgment and payment obligations, to businesses affected by natural disasters.
Mental health support
Queensland: Business Queensland offers mental health and wellbeing resources tailored for business owners dealing with disaster impacts.
Specialised mental health support will likely be provided by authorities in the coming weeks, as happened last year with Cyclone Jasper.
New South Wales: Specialist mental health Disaster Recovery Clinicians are available in affected regions. Contact the NSW Mental Health Line at 1800 011 511.
National Support: Beyond Blue’s NewAccess for Small Business Owners program provides free and confidential mental health coaching.
