Six weeks on from the devastating floods that swept through parts of south-east Queensland, people who lost everything are still waiting for government funding to rebuild their homes.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced he would be going halves with the state government on a $741 million package, which includes grants for people to retrofit, raise or sell back their flood-affected homes.
The package is welcome news for Rocklea resident Lu Xia, who hasn't been able to access any grants since her home flooded.
"It's like we're [stuck] in the middle of nowhere," Ms Lu said.
"If this can happen with the support of all levels — federal, state and council — working together to get this sorted out, I would be so grateful.
"My boy needs to go to school and I need to plan where I am going to live in the future."
'Grants I don't qualify for'
Fellow Rocklea resident Lee-Ann Handley is in a similar position.
The only government assistance she's been able to claim is the $1,000 one-off disaster payment and she has been relying on donations from charities to get by.
"As for the assistance and funding people keep asking me 'oh, you know, well, there's all this great assistance out there'… but most of the assistance I've got has been from friends or family that have dug in and helped me because I haven't been able to access those grants."
Because Ms Handley earns more than $51,000 a year, she's ineligible for the Structural Assistance Grant, the Essential Households Contents Grant and the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant.
She's been using loans, drawing from her super, and even money from her daughter's life savings to get her house back in a liveable condition.
"I don't know how many community recovery people have wandered up and down the street giving me a nice, colourful brochure with a QR code to scan for these grants I don't qualify for."
'Light at the end of the tunnel'
Ms Handley hopes she'll qualify for the latest $741 million package and won't have to wait much longer for the assistance to flow through to her.
"That is finally a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel," she said.
"But if it's 12 months from now, where will I be at? I've magically got to find $30,000 in the next week."
Queensland’s Acting Premier Cameron Dick said the scale of the $741 million package means it’s going to “take some time” to execute.
“It is the biggest proposal of its kind, and the biggest project of its kind, ever delivered in Australia,” Mr Dick said.
He said the $51,398 income cut off was a means test put in place by the federal government.
"These are very significant events and it's not possible to compensate everyone for every loss that they have sustained,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s office has been contacted for comment regarding income eligibility criteria.
