The below is a summary of the current disaster assistance available to Local Government Areas in the Parkes electorate for flooding that occurred from 14 September 2022 onwards. For more information visit www.disasterassist.gov.au
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by the floods in New South Wales.
The rate of AGDRP is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with Services Australia for a period up to 6 months.
AGDRP is available for people who have been seriously injured, have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, whose major assets have been directly damaged or are the immediate family members of a person who has died as a direct result of the floods.
Eligible individuals in the Local Government Areas of Dubbo, Gunnedah, Lachlan, Moree Plains, Narrabri and Walgett have until 28 April 2023 to lodge a claim.
For more information on eligibility, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.
Disaster Recovery Allowance
The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) provides income support payments to employees, primary producers and sole traders who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the floods in New South Wales.
DRA provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on the person’s circumstances.
DRA is available to Australian residents who are 16 years and older. It is not available to those already receiving another income support payment or pension such as the Age Pension, JobSeeker Payment or Service Pension.
The DRA is available in a total of 55 Local Government Areas, including Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Central Darling, Cobar, Coonamble, Dubbo, Gilgandra, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Lachlan, Moree Plains, Narrabri, Narromine, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle and the Unincorporated Area in the Parkes electorate.
Eligible employees, primary producers and sole traders have until 20 April 2023 to lodge a claim.
For eligibility information, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.
Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements
The joint Australian, state and territory governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) provide a range of financial assistance to the natural disaster-declared areas in each state or territory.
For the NSW Flooding (14 September onwards), the available assistance measures include:
- Personal hardship and distress assistance
- Counter disaster operations
- Restoration of essential public assets
- Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations who have suffered direct damage
- Freight subsidies for primary producers
- Grants for non-profit organisations.
For information on available recovery assistance, visit the Resilience NSW and Service NSW websites.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will replace passports that have been lost or damaged in declared natural disasters free of charge, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.
Additional Recovery Assistance Measures
Under the DRFA, the following additional assistance measures have been activated for this disaster:
- Primary Producer Recovery Grants: Recovery grants of up to $75,000 are available for eligible primary producers to help with recovery and reinstatement activities;
- Local Government Recovery Grants: These $1 million grants will provide funding assistance to local governments to assist them in undertaking immediate recovery activities, address emerging needs and help build community resilience. Grants will be used to fund initiatives across the built, social, economic and natural environment recovery domains;
- Small Business Recovery Grants: Recovery grants of up to $50,000 are available for small businesses and not-for-profits affected by ongoing flooding; and
- Rural Landholders Grant: Grants of up to $10,000 for impacted landholders, not eligible for assistance under existing support mechanisms, for clean-up activities, damages or losses beyond the vicinity of the residential dwelling.
For further information on available assistance, visit the Service NSW and the NSW Rural Assistance Authority websites.
The above assistance is available in the following LGAs in the Parkes electorate:
- Bogan
- Bourke
- Brewarrina
- Central Darling
- Cobar
- Coonamble
- Dubbo
- Gilgandra
- Gunnedah
- Gwydir
- Lachlan
- Moree Plains
- Narrabri
- Narromine
- Unincorporated
- Walgett
- Warren
- Warrumbungle