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STORM ASSISTANCE FOR NSW COMMUNITIES Featured

STORM ASSISTANCE FOR NSW COMMUNITIES

Funding support for recovery effort
DISASTER assistance has been made available for the Hornsby, Liverpool, Central Coast, Waverley, Woollahra, Tamworth, Lithgow and Dubbo Regional Local Government Areas which were affected by the severe storms and flooding that occurred from December 20 onwards.


Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
 
Assistant Minister for Home Affairs Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds, who has responsibility for Commonwealth disaster assistance, said the assistance demonstrated the commitment of the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments to act quickly to help support recovery efforts.
 
“These storms and floods have caused significant damage to property, motor vehicles and other public infrastructure, with reports of 8cm diameter hailstorms across Sydney,” Assistant Minister Reynolds said.
 
“Disruptions to public transport and widespread electricity outages and road closures resulted in major disruption to communities.”
 
“A range of assistance is available to help affected individuals, small businesses, primary producers and councils recover from the storm.”
 
NSW Minister for Emergency Services the Hon. Troy Grant said a significant and coordinated multi-agency and community response was required.
 
“The NSW State Emergency Service have deployed more than 120 storm damage teams supported by over 500 volunteers and teams from the NSW State Emergency Service, NSW Rural Fire Service, and Fire and Rescue NSW,” Minister Grant said.
 
“Over 30,000 lightning strikes were recorded over Sydney during this event as severe thunderstorms passed through the region.”
 
"The funding available through the DRFA will help cover the cost of clean-up and ensure that any damaged public infrastructure can be repaired.”

Assistance measures available for those affected by the storms and floods include:
•         Assistance to help people who are uninsured, have sustained damage to homes or contents, and meet an assets and income test;
•         Assistance to help councils in the affected Local Government Areas with the costs associated with cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets;
•         Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and not-for-profit organisations;
•         Freight subsidies for primary producers; and, 
•         Grants to not-for-profit organisations.
 
For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact the Disaster Welfare Assistance Line on 1800 018 444.
 
To apply for a concessional loan or grant, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au.
 
Information on disaster assistance available for this natural disaster can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au and the Emergency NSW website at www.emergency.nsw.gov.au.

 



editor

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Michael Walls
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0407 783 413

Access News is a print and digital media publisher established over 15 years and based in Western Sydney, Australia. Our newspaper titles include the flagship publication, Western Sydney Express, which is a trusted source of information and for hundreds of thousands of decision makers, businesspeople and residents looking for insights into the people, projects, opportunities and networks that shape Australia's fastest growing region - Greater Western Sydney.