For those within the declared area it has been great news but graziers outside of the area, in many cases on the opposite side of a river, are devastated that the Government would think that they had not been affected.

The LNP candidate for the seat of Kennedy, Ed Morrison, said that while he welcomed the funding to support the families in the North, the government and local mem-bers' handling of the disaster had been poor.

"How could anybody think that a river floods only on one side - they have simply drawn lines on a map without an y thought as to what country has been affected; it's unbelievable," Mr Morrison said.

Queensland farm group Ag-Force welcomed the Federal Government's decision to approve Exceptional Circumstances (EC) assistance in the Gulf but believed it should not have taken so long.

AgForce spokesman Rob Johnson said strong lobbying from AgForce helped drive the unique decision to provide drought assistance to flood victims.

"Graziers in the Gulf have struggled with drought for over a year since the flood totally devastated grazing land and swept away stock and infrastructure," Mr Johnson said.

After hearing confirmation that the EC assistance would be granted, the Member for Kennedy Bob Katter, said the funding would provide great relief for the "cockies" up there, taking some of the pain out of the debt situation.

He said that for some of them it would mean the difference bet-ween the life and death of their operations.

"We sincerely thank the Minister for finally busting through the existing guidelines and the State Government logjam on this one, although the tireless work of Georgetown's Noeline Gross and the Gulf Management group may be the key, and also Betty Kiernan," Mr Katter said.