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Minister for Justice Michael Keenan and New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services Troy Grant today announced disaster assistance in response to the storms and floods that affected parts of the north east coast of New South Wales from 12 March 2017.

Minister Keenan said the assistance is being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

“The Australian and New South Wales governments are committed to working together to ensure disaster affected communities receive the necessary support to help them recover,” Mr Keenan said.

Minister Grant praised the communities impacted by this natural disaster for their resilience and determination to recover and rebuild following a particularly devastating series of flood events.

“I would like to thank the residents of the Bellingen, Clarence Valley, Lismore and Richmond Valley LGAs for working with Government to ensure support is made available to those who need a helping hand,” Mr Grant said.

Assistance available under the NDRRA may include:

• Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged
• Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations
• Freight subsidies for primary producers
• Grants to eligible non-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, grant or freight subsidy, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit raa.nsw.gov.au

Further information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website disasterassist.gov.au and the NSW emergency information and response website at emergency.nsw.gov.au

Disaster assistance for storm and flood affected communities in NSW PDF