Prime Minister Julia Gillard and NSW Premier Kristina Keneally today announced additional Commonwealth-NSW Government assistance for NSW primary producers and small businesses affected by flooding.
The Gillard and Keneally Governments have activated a package of one-off "Category C Grants" - worth up to $15,000 - under the National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRAA).
Since December, a total of 51 Local Government Areas in New South Wales have been declared natural disaster areas.
The Prime Minister said the grants would help the many NSW communities that are still doing it tough as a result of the floods that inundated south and north west NSW in November and December of last year.
Now that the floodwaters in the majority of places in NSW have subsided, it has become clear that many small businesses and primary producers have suffered significant disruption to their businesses.
These one-off grants will help minimise the economic impact of the floods in the affected communities and help people get back to business as quickly as possible.
The Prime Minister said the Gillard Labor Government would continue to work with the Keneally Government to provide as much support to NSW communities as we can as the recovery process continues.
Category C assistance will:
* Help primary producers with general clean up costs including the removal of debris and dead livestock, purchase of fodder and replacement trading stock and repairs to damaged equipment and property access - without which production and viability could be disrupted beyond the next season; and
* Help small businesses affected by flooding to conduct repairs and resume trading as soon as possible
Premier Kristina Keneally said the additional Commonwealth and State assistance will be welcomed by farmers who are in need of help.
"Many primary producers and small businesses have suffered hardship and disruption from these floods after years of drought, and this is a way of helping them get back on their feet," Ms Keneally said.
"Some parts of NSW have experienced the most widespread flooding in 30 years, and these grants will provide much-needed relief to those communities."The NSW State Emergency Recovery Controller has been working with councils, government agencies and the non-government sector to ensure the region is receiving the support and assistance it needs.
"The Commonwealth and NSW governments will continue to work together to ensure that affected communities get the support they need during this difficult period."
Today's announcement is in addition to joint Commonwealth/NSW Government assistance being provided under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements across the 51 Local Government Areas. That includes:
* Concessional loans of up to $130,000 for small businesses and primary producers;
* Concessional loans of up to $25,000 for voluntary, non-profit organisations;
* Road and rail freight subsidies of up to $15,000 to assist primary producers for the carriage of livestock and fodder;
* Personal hardship and distress assistance;
* Restoration of public infrastructure; and
* Certain counter disaster operations.
Category C assistance does not compensate for income losses and is not intended to replace insurance. It does not cover damage to dwellings, damages covered by insurance and cost of using own labour, existing staff or own equipment.
To be eligible, applicants need to show that 51 per cent of their income is derived from primary production - based on copies of their latest personal and business taxation returns.
Applications for assistance must be lodged to the NSW Rural Assistance Authority by Thursday 30 June, 2011.
For further information, or to apply for assistance under the Natural Disaster Community Recovery Package, call the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au
The 51 local government areas that have been declared natural disaster areas are Wagga Wagga, Parkes, Warren, Upper Lachlan, Narromine, Gilgandra, Mid-Western Region, Weddin, Wellington, Warrumbungle, Cootamundra, Coonamble, Harden, Young, Gundagai, Cabonne, Dubbo, Narrabri, Walgett, Upper Hunter, Yass, Lithgow, Muswellbrook, Cooma-Monaro, Boorowa, Gunnedah, Bathurst, Forbes, Palerang, Queanbeyan, Orange, Tumut, Liverpool Plains, Goulburn Mulwaree, Cowra, Coolamon, Tamworth, Urana, Corowa, Moree Plains, Bogan, Greater Hume, Wentworth, Wakool, Snowy River, Tumbarumba, Balranald, Blaney, Narrandera, Kyogle and Ballina.