Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan says eligible residents impacted by the recent severe storms in the Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Coffs Coast areas can now access financial assistance.

The assistance is available under the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Mr Conaghan said the severe storms caused localised flooding and widespread damage in February.

“Several communities across Cowper experienced major disruptions due to the heavy rainfall and flooding which caused significant damage to roads, businesses and residential properties,” he said.

“The repairs are expected to be extensive, so this funding will help our communities get back on their feet.
“The role our communities will play in the recovery is essential – they are the force that drives the ongoing clean-up and repairs.”

Storms caused widespread damage resulting in road and school closures, flooding of properties and disruption to rail freight services due to a derailment.

The assistance will help cover the costs associated with the operational response and repairing damaged homes and essential public assets, such as roads.

Assistance available under the DRFA 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, and grants to eligible non-profit organisations.

For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact Service NSW on
13 77 88. To apply for a concessional loan or grant, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au

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