Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has welcomed news that Federal disaster assistance is being extended to Wingecarribee Shire Council following a snowstorm in July.

The assistance is provided under joint Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) and has been announced by Minister for Justice Michael Keenan and NSW Deputy Premier, Troy Grant.

Mr Taylor said the funding would reimburse council for clean-up operations.

“It seems a long time since we had snow, but this declaration will be welcome support towards the repair bill for damage caused by last winter’s heavy snowfall,” Mr Taylor said.

Mr Taylor said both Upper Lachlan and Wingecarribee Shire Councils had applied for disaster relief funding to cover a total of $3.7million in costs from the July snow.

He said this announcement was in addition to Federal disaster relief support announced recently for costs incurred by council during a heavy rainstorm in August this year.

He said the declaration of a natural disaster would allow councils to be paid for counter disaster operations undertaken and for the costs of restoring essential public assets.

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government's Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au and the NSW Ministry for Police and Emergency services website at www.mpes.nsw.gov.au/nddassistance.