Were you impacted by the October 2022 Victorian storm and flooding event?

A range of assistance is available for communities impacted by the low-pressure system which travelled east over Australia, bringing heavy rainfall and storms to much of Victoria, causing widespread and destructive flooding.

Helping Australians recover from devastating natural hazards is a national priority

From 6 October to 30 November 2022, a low-pressure system, which sat over majority of the east coast of Australia, resulted in widespread flooding around Melbourne suburbs near the Maribyrnong River, and for northern Victorian communities along the Campaspe, Goulburn and Murray Rivers including the towns of Shepparton, Rochester and Echuca.

Already high rivers, creeks, and sodden catchments had little capacity to absorb the rain, which led to one of the most devastating flooding events in Victoria's history. The footage of main streets, inner city areas and levees being inundated captured the nation’s attention.

Recovery from this disaster will take some time, and NEMA – in partnership with the Victorian Government – will continue to support impacted communities.

Supporting affected communities

The Australian Government supported the state-led emergency response, mainly through the provision of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, who have wide-ranging emergency relief skills.

This ADF support included:

• search and rescue and evacuation missions;
• assisting with sandbags, building levee walls and flood preparation and relief activities;
• dropping food, water and medical supplies to people cut off by floodwaters; and
• recovery and clean-up activities.

The Australian Government also activated financial assistance in the form of the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA).

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) is a one-off, non-means tested payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per child.

This payment is available in the thirty-one (31) local government areas of Benalla, Boroondara, Buloke, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Corangamite, Gannawarra, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Hepburn, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Maroondah, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Mildura, Mitchell, Moira, Moonee Valley, Mornington Peninsula, Mount Alexander, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Yarra and Yarra Ranges.

Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is a short-term income support payment to help people who have lost income as a direct result of the disaster.

This payment is available in sixty-three (63) local government areas and one Alpine Resort (Falls Creek): Alpine, Ararat, Ballarat, Banyule, Baw Baw, Benalla, Boroondara, Brimbank, Buloke, Campaspe, Cardinia, Casey, Central Goldfields, Colac Otway, Corangamite, East Gippsland, Falls Creek, Gannawarra, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Greater Geelong, Greater Shepparton, Hepburn, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Hume, Indigo, Latrobe, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Manningham, Mansfield, Maribyrnong, Maroondah, Melbourne, Melton, Mildura, Mitchell, Moira, Moonee Valley, Moorabool, Mornington Peninsula, Mount Alexander, Moyne, Murrindindi, Nillumbik, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, South Gippsland, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Surf Coast, Swan Hill, Towong, Wangaratta, Warrnambool, Wellington, West Wimmera, Whittlesea, Wodonga, Wyndham, Yarra Ranges and Yarriambiack.

You can find out more about the AGDRP and DRA on the Services Australia website.

Detailed break-down of assistance:

Victorian storms and flooding (October 2022)

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE 

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP)  One off payment of $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for children.  Equivalent assistance for New Zealand ‘non-protected’ special category visa (subclass 444) holders.  As of midnight 14 May, 36,943 AGDRP payments have been made, worth $41.67 million. Claims are open until 16 June 2023. Visit the Services Australia website to apply.

Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA)  Up to 13 weeks of income support payments to eligible employees and sole traders.  Equivalent assistance for New Zealand ‘non-protected’ special category visa (subclass 444) holders.  As of midnight 14 May, 4244 DRA payments have been made, worth a total of $16.13 million. Claims are open until 28 May 2023. Visit the Services Australia website to apply.

JOINT AUSTRALIAN AND VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE 

To find out what assistance is being provided by the Victorian Government, including Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, visit Victorian Government Flood Recovery.

Emergency relief assistance (DRFA Category A)  Helps support people who have been evacuated or who need assistance due to the disaster, to meet their immediate and basic needs. This may include food, essential clothing, and other personal items including medical and/or pharmaceutical items, access to communications, transport, and document replacement costs.

Emergency re-establishment assistance (DRFA Category A)  Assists to re-establish homes by providing alternative accommodation, removing debris, repairs, rebuilding, and replacement of essential household contents. The assistance only applies to residents whose principal places of residence have been damaged, destroyed or rendered inaccessible for more than seven days. The assistance is also subject to insurance coverage and income tests.

Removal of debris (DRFA Category A)  Assists residents whose properties are directly impacted by the disaster to make them safe and habitable. This may include assistance with clean up inside and immediately outside the home, removal of fallen trees and green waste because of the disaster and removal of event-related building materials and debris.

Assistance for small business, primary producers and non-profit organisations (DRFA Category B)  Concessional interest rate loans: Available for primary producers, small business and non-profit organisations that have suffered significant damage to their assets (up to $250,000) and/or significant loss of income (up to $100,000) to restore or replace damaged assets, and meet general expenses incurred while the clean-up is underway. Freight subsidies: Assistance provided for up to 50 per cent of transport costs, capped at $15,000, for the transport of emergency fodder or stock drinking water, moving stock to agistment, sale or slaughter are available for primary producers that have suffered direct damage as a result of the disaster.

Assistance to State Agencies and Local Councils  (DRFA Category B)  Counter disaster operations:   Helps state agencies and councils with the costs associated with delivering exceptional relief and recovery measures within impacted communities, which go beyond the capacity of the state or local government.   Restoration of essential public assets:   Helps with the costs of restoring or repairing eligible essential public assets or infrastructure damaged as a direct result of a disaster to their pre-disaster function.  This assistance also covers emergency works, such as removing debris and temporary repairs, which were undertaken immediately after a disaster to enable an eligible asset to be operational.

State-wide clean-up (DRFA Category C) Assistance to support a state-wide coordinated clean-up assistance package (est. $150 million).

Community Recovery Officers (DRFA Category C) Deployment of Community Recovery Officers to impacted LGAs to help identify the recovery needs of individuals and families and support government to identify further recovery needs (est. $6 million)

Business and Not-For-Profit Organisation grants (DRFA Category C) Grants of up to $50,000 grants for small businesses and non-profit organisations directly impacted by the floods. (est. $462 million)

Medium-large business grants (DRFA Category C) Grants of up to $200,000 grants for eligible medium to large businesses directly impacted by the floods. (est. $21 million)

Business Chamber and Trader Group grants (DRFA Category C) Grants of up to $50,000 grants for directly impacted Business Chamber and Trader Groups.(est. $5.25 million)

Primary Producer grants (DRFA Category C) Grants of up to $75,000 grants for eligible primary producers directly impacted by the floods. (est. $238.01 million)

Rural Landholder grants (DRFA Category C) Grants of up to $25,000 grants for directly impacted rural landholders, not eligible for assistance under existing support mechanisms. (est. $65.21 million)

Business recovery support package (DRFA Category D) Assistance for additional support services for directly impacted businesses to facilitate the development of recovery plans, provide mental health support and assist in grant applications (est. $18.63 million)

Primary Producer recovery support package (DRFA Category D) Assistance to support the delivery of workshops on technical decision-making after floods, equipping farmers with the skills and knowledge to make the best choices for the businesses and make a clear plan for the future, as well extension of the Rural Financial Counselling Service and mental health support (est. $2.688 million)

 

Further information

To find out what assistance is being provided by the Victorian Government, including Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, visit Victorian Government Flood Recovery