Disaster assistance is now available in four additional local government areas affected by severe storms and flooding in November last year.   

The additional LGAs are Balranald, Federation, Lismore and Upper Lachlan.    

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

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said the inclusion of Upper Lachlan would ensure the local community can access the same support available to the Goulburn-Mulwaree Local Government Area.  

“The $50,000 Primary Producer Recovery Grants announced on 29 December 2021 will also be extended to both Goulburn Mulwaree and Upper Lachlan residents,” said Mr Taylor.   

There are now 57 Local Government Areas impacted by the severe weather and flooding of late last year.   

These areas now included are in addition to the initial declaration for the local government areas of Bathurst, Bega Valley, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cabonne, Cobar, Coonamble, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Eurobodalla, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Inverell, Kyogle, Lachlan, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Mid-Western, Moree Plains, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Narromine, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Richmond Valley, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Upper Hunter, Walcha, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin, Wentworth and the Unincorporated Area of NSW.   

Assistance available under the DRFA may include:    

1. Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged (eligibility criteria apply)  

2. Recovery grants for primary producers  

3. Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets  

4. Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations, and 

5. Freight subsidies for primary producers.   

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

To apply for a concessional loan or primary producer grant, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au. 

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au.