NSW Residents In 23 LGAs Are Eligible For Disaster Relief Payments Amid Flooding
A natural disaster has been declared.
New South Wales residents in flood-affected areas will now be eligible for disaster relief payments after a natural disaster was declared across much of the state.
In a joint statement between Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke, 23 local government areas were declared natural disaster sites overnight.
“We have seen some of these impacted communities being hit by floods for a third and fourth time in 18 months, which is extremely distressing to the residents of these communities,” the statement read.
“The Australian and New South Wales governments have worked very cooperatively through the latest flood emergency to ensure defence and other resources were deployed early and fast.
“Similarly, we’re now working hard together to make sure that impacted communities get the financial and other assistance they need as soon as possible.”
Residents in the LGAs of Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Canterbury Bankstown, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kiama, Lithgow, Liverpool, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Sutherland, The Hills, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Wollongong will be eligible for the payments.
In an interview with ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday, Watt confirmed this was “the beginning of the process in terms of disaster payments”.
“These are uncapped payments, they are demand-driven and they will be available for anyone who qualifies,” said Watt.
The disaster recovery funding arrangements include financial support for people whose homes or belongings have been damaged, funding for local councils to clean up and restore services, concessional interest rate loans for non-profits and small businesses, and freight subsidies for primary producers.
To access financial support, you can visit the National Recovery and Resilience Agency website, call Service NSW on 13 77 88 or contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593.
Photo Credit: Twitter / NSW Surf Lifesaving