11 December 2021
DISASTER ASSISTANCE EXTENDED FOLLOWING SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING IN NSW
Disaster assistance is now available in ten additional local government areas following severe storms and flooding from Tuesday 9 November 2021, which continues to impact areas of New South Wales.
The additional LGAs are Bega Valley, Eurobodalla, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Mid-Western, Oberon, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Richmond Valley, Shoalhaven, Walcha and Wentworth.
Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Minister for Emergency Management and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Recovery and Resilience, Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie said severe weather from early November has continued to impact a number of communities.
“We’re seeing more flooding and storm damage, and we know more rain is on the way. This is having a particularly significant impact in the south east of the state,” Minister McKenzie said.
“The impact on small communities who are still building back after fires and floods is significant, and the assistance being announced today will help ensure those communities continue to receive the support they need.”
New South Wales Minister for Police and Emergency Services the Hon David Elliott said that further flooding in the Illawarra-Shoalhaven in recent days had caused significant damage.
“Heavy rainfall and flooding in a number of areas has resulted in further damage to homes, small businesses and roads,” Minister Elliott said.
“The NSW State Emergency Services has maintained a significant operation for over a month in response to this event, with support from a number of other State agencies and councils.”
These areas now included are in addition to the initial declaration for the local government areas of Bathurst, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cabonne, Cobar, Coonamble, Cowra, Dubbo, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Kyogle, Lachlan, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Moree Plains, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Narromine, Parkes, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Singleton, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Upper Hunter, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, and Weddin.
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
- Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations, and
- Freight subsidies for primary producers
