Storm and flood-affected councils in NSW to get disaster funding

Disaster
assistance has been made available to eight NSW coastal and inland local
government areas impacted by storms on 20 October.

The severe
thunderstorms and associated high winds and flash flooding caused widespread
damage across the Armidale, Bega Valley, Central Coast, Eurobodalla, Mid Coast,
Shoalhaven, Snowy Valleys and Tamworth councils, including to local roads, businesses
and residential properties.

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

Minister
for Emergency Management David Littleproud said: “Through the DRFA, a range of
practical assistance measures are now available to help individuals get back on
their feet and help councils with ongoing clean-up and repairs to infrastructure.”

Assistance
available under the DRFA may include:

• help
  for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged;
• 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 nonprofit
  organisations;
• freight
  subsidies for primary producers; and
• grants
  to eligible non-profit organisations

 Further information on disaster assistance is available on the Disaster Assist website at and the NSW emergency information and response website.