As severe storms and flooding continue to impact large areas of New South Wales, the Australian Government has extended financial disaster assistance to more people in the state.

The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is now available to eligible people in an additional ​4 local government areas (LGAs), bringing the total number of New South Wales LGAs receiving Commonwealth support for this event to 70.

The new LGAs are Bathurst, Oberon, Shellharbour, and Uralla.

Up to 510 immediate job opportunities for displaced workers and local job seekers in disaster-affected South-East Queensland have been created, through the Commonwealth and Queensland governments’ $721 million flood recovery package.

Twenty-six projects have now been approved under the $14.5 million Small Business Recovery and Resilience package, which is jointly funded through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Federal and state government assistance is now available in another five Victorian local government areas (LGA) affected by the October Floods.

The flood impacted areas are East Gippsland, Hindmarsh, Mildura, Southern Grampians and Towong.

These regions can now apply for:

Jointly funded disaster assistance is now available to an additional four local government areas (LGAs) as the severe flooding that has affected large parts of New South Wales since mid-September continues.

The LGAs of Bathurst, Oberon, Shellharbour and Uralla are now subject to a natural disaster declaration (NDD).

Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, said damages to areas within the additionally declared LGAs had been significant.

More federal financial support has been rolled out to communities in New South Wales who are continuing to respond to the severe storms and flooding that began in September.

The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is now available to eligible individuals in an additional 11 local government areas (LGAs) of: Bega Valley, Junee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Shoalhaven, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Temora, Walcha and Yass Valley and the Unincorporated Area of New South Wales (Far West region).

A range of projects aimed at reducing the risk posed by future disasters will share in almost $13 million from the Australian and New South Wales governments.

The joint funding is being provided to educational institutions, Government agencies and not-for-profit organisations through the State Risk Reduction stream of the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF) to deliver projects that better protect communities against future natural disasters, including research programs, useable tools like apps and awareness campaigns.

Disaster recovery assistance is now available to disaster-affected communities in Western Australia’s South West after a once-in-a-year storm tore through the region in August.

The City of Busselton and Shire of Augusta Margaret River will receive assistance through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

More than 75 sites on Lamington National Park Road are being repaired after damage following record rainfalls over the past 12 months. 

A substantial program of works is underway or scheduled to start before the end of the year, including reconstruction of a significant landslip that occurred in November 2021.

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

Disaster assistance is now available for the Lockyer Valley, Balonne and Barcoo local government areas (LGAs) following severe storms occurring from 19 to 27 October 2022.

The Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), which are joint-funded by the Commonwealth and Queensland governments, will help to repair roads and other essential public infrastructure.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, said it will help impacted communities recover sooner.