 After the storm , the Government of Queensland declared the Cairns area as a natural disaster area . About week later , the Cabinet supported a measure by Minister for Primary Industries , Vic Sullivan , to offer low @-@ interest loans to farmer who lost significant amounts of crops and livestock . Later , Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke @-@ Petersen requested aid from the national government . Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser approved low @-@ interest loans up to $ 25 @,@ 000 ( 1979 AUD ) for small businesses and the implementation of other measures for recovery . 
