Disaster assistance extended following severe flooding in NSW

The LGAs are: Bayside Council, Bega Valley Shire Council, Blacktown City Council, Blue Mountains City Council, Camden Council, Campbelltown City Council, Canterbury Bankstown Council, Central Coast Council, Eurobodalla Shire Council, Fairfield City Council, Georges River Council, Hawkesbury City Council, Inner West Council, Kiama Municipal Council, Ku-Ring-Gai Council, Liverpool City Council, MidCoast Council, Newcastle City Council, Northern Beaches Council, Parramatta Council, Penrith City Council, Ryde Council, Shellharbour City Council, Shoalhaven City Council, Sutherland Shire Council, Wingecarribee Shire Council, Wollondilly Shire Council, Wollongong City Council.

Assistance is being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said the sheer scale of the flooding event has impacted residents across the state with many still unable to return home.

“We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with communities that have been devastated by the floods. As floodwaters are beginning to recede in Northern NSW, we are beginning to enter the long recovery phase and assess the immense clean-up that needs to take place.

“This DRFA assistance will help impacted individuals, small businesses, primary producers and local councils to get back on their feet as soon as possible,” Minister McKenzie said.

New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said that the focus is on providing immediate support and assistance to all residents affected by the floods.

“The floodwater is receding in some areas, but we know there are other regions still in the acute emergency stage, where the focus remains on saving lives and keeping communities safe.”

“Today’s announcement will ensure that as all communities move into the recovery phase, they can recover, rebuild and return to a sense of normality as soon as possible,” Minister Cooke said.

DRFA assistance is now available in 45 LGAs in NSW.

Assistance available under the DRFA may include:

• Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged (eligibility criteria apply);
• Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets;
• Financial assistance for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations; and
• Freight subsidies for primary producers.

To apply for a concessional loan or primary producer grant, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit the website.

For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact Service NSW on 13 77 88.

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website.