News Service from House Harris

Qld: Floods will send truckies broke: Union

BRISBANE, Jan 7 AAP - Widespread flooding has provided welcome relief to residents in Queensland's normally parched north west but could cost the jobs of some truckies.

Heavy rains swept away a large section of the Barkly Highway between the mining hub of Mt Isa and the Northern Territory and authorities warn it could be several weeks before the road will reopen.

The road is the main arterial between Mt Isa and Darwin and Transport Workers Union Queensland Secretary Hughie Williams warned its closure could affect the supply of freight to the Northern Territory.

He said the closure, as well as disruptions due to flooding around Mt Isa, could send some drivers broke.

"Their costs are still incurring day by day and they are not getting any income," he told AAP.

"Some of these people almost live from week to week and day by day to pay their installments on their trucks.

"A lot of those truck drivers could be out of business."

Several communities, including Mt Isa, Julia Creek, Cloncurry, Burketown, Doomadgee, Gregory Downs, Urandanji, McKinlay and Georgetown, have been isolated by flood waters.

Acting Emergency Services Minister Andrew Fraser, who today toured the region, has announced more than $12 million in disaster relief funding.

However, Mt Isa Mayor John Malony said the local community had welcomed the flooding - the first major downpour in the region for several years.

"Anyone who lives in western Queensland, you'd never hear them denigrate rain - you just have to take it when you can get it," he told AAP.

He said the roads into the city reopened intermittently as flood waters rose and fell, so trucks had been able to get supplies into the city.

"We're not going to run out of food but we periodically have run out of milk," he said.

"No doubt as soon as a truckload gets in and people get wind of it there's a bit of panic buying that goes on."