Disaster funds stretch to Yass Valley, Hilltops regions after storms

A landslide caused by recent bushfires and floods blocks Araluen Road at Knowles Creek. Photo: Eurobodalla Shire Council.

Disaster assistance has been extended to residents of the Yass Valley and Hilltops regions affected by the recent wild storms.

Senator for NSW Jim Molan said the amount of damage caused in those two Local Government Areas had caused them to be added to the list of eligible areas following the flood and storm events.

Other areas already receiving disaster assistance include Bega Valley, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Eurobodalla, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Shoalhaven, Snowy-Monaro, Snowy Valley and the Upper Lachlan.

Senator Molan encouraged individuals, households, small business people and primary producers in the regions affected by the recent wild weather to apply for the disaster assistance through Service NSW.

He said the assistance was being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Senator Jim Molan. Photo: File.

“I welcome the additional support now being made available for residents in the regions affected by this significant disaster,” he said, adding that damage assessments were still going on in a number of other areas.

Help available through the DRFA may include:

• Assistance for eligible people whose homes or belongings were damaged. Eligibility criteria applies.
• Recovery grants for primary producers.
• Support for affected local councils with clean-ups and costs of restoring damaged essential public assets.
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations.
• Freight subsidies for primary producers.

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

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

More information on all disaster assistance available is on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website.