The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard and Acting Attorney-General, Stephen Smith today announced further assistance for primary producers and small businesses affected by flooding in Carnarvon and the Upper Gascoyne in Western Australia.
In December, WA Premier, Colin Barnett wrote to the Prime Minister requesting $15,000 grants for small business and primary producers.
The Prime Minister agreed to this request and on 7 January announced the activation of a joint Commonwealth State Government assistance package of clean-up and recovery grants worth up to $15,000.
Earlier this week, the Acting Attorney-General wrote to the Western Australian Premier advising him that the Commonwealth Government stood ready to consider any further requests for assistance from the State Government.
The Prime Minister has since agreed to a subsequent request from Acting WA Premier, Dr Kim Hames, to make a further $10,000 available.
This brings the total amount for the joint Commonwealth State Government assistance grants package for clean-up and recovery to $25,000.
These one-off Category C Grants provided under Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA), will cover primary producers and small businesses in Ashburton, Carnarvon, Exmouth, Murchison, Northampton, Shark Bay and the Upper Gascoyne - areas that have been declared natural disaster zones.
The new package will now be up to $25,000 and consist of:
* Category C Tier 1 clean-up and recovery grants of up to $5,000, not requiring proof of damage and expenditure; and
* Tier 2 grants of up to $20,000 for both small business and primary producers, including those in agricultural and pastoral industries, requiring proof of damage and expenditure.
The new assistance is in addition to the joint Commonwealth State payments and support that were activated in flood-affected regions by the WA Government on 20 December 2010.
The grants 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. They will also help small businesses affected by flooding to conduct repairs and resume trading as soon as possible.
Existing joint Commonwealth and Western Australian Government NDRRA assistance being provided includes:
* Emergency assistance payments for people who have suffered personal hardship or distress;
* Interest rate subsidies for small businesses and primary producers as part of loans up to $150,000;
* Professional advice grants of up to $1,500 and freight subsidies for primary producers (up to 50 per cent for the cost of transporting livestock, fodder or water for livestock or building or fencing equipment or machinery as a direct result of a natural disaster);
* Restoration of public infrastructure; and
* Certain counter disaster operations.
People can apply for assistance or seek further information by contacting Primary producers: Department of Food and Agriculture - 1800 198 231 (primary producers) and (08) 9323 9552 (Small Business and other enquiries).