FLOOD ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE: McCORMACK

Riverina and Central West farmers and primary producers impacted by recent floods will have access to grants of up to $50,000.

Member for Riverina Michael McCormack joined both the Commonwealth and NSW Ministers responsible for emergency management, services and resilience, Senator Bridget McKenzie and Steph Cooke as well as recently appointed NSW Minister for Agriculture, Dugald Saunders, to announce the disaster recovery funding.

The announcement was made at “Traversdale”, the Bedgerabong property of Jackie and Scott Darcy, who hosted the Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on their visit to inspect flood damage in the area earlier this month.

Mr McCormack thanked the Darcys and other local Central West farmers for their input into the development of the assistance announced today.

Financial assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Mr McCormack said local farmers in the Riverina and Central West, especially in the Cowra, Forbes, Lockhart and Weddin Shires, have been hit hard by the recent severe weather across regional NSW.

“Eligible farmers and primary producers, from six of the 12 Local Government Areas in the Riverina electorate, will now have access to grants of up to $50,000 to help them get back on their feet,” Mr McCormack said.

The financial assistance, which will also help those in Cootamundra-Gundagai and Parkes LGAs, covers recovery and reinstatement activities, including salvaging crops and repairs to damaged farm infrastructure, including fencing and equipment.

 “In our part of NSW we’ve seen farming communities dealt blow after blow, with some farmers having experienced compounding disasters, from drought to the mouse plague and more recently, devastating floods,” Mr McCormack said.

The Australian and NSW Governments are jointly committing more than $80 million to make assistance immediately available for eligible local primary producers across the State.

“After my most recent visit to Forbes, with the Prime Minister and the Premier, I raised the concerns of farmers about issues they were experiencing directly with the Co-ordinator General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency, The Hon. Shane Stone AC QC. I am pleased, following those meetings, that the Government, has compiled the package announced today,” Mr McCormack said.

“These grants will enable eligible primary production enterprises to access $10,000 up-front to help with initial recovery costs and a further $40,000 to continue repairing the damage to their property, if required.”

“I encourage farmers impacted by the recent flooding to apply so they can get back to operating as soon as possible.”

For details on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact Service NSW on 13 77 88.

To find out more and apply for a primary producer grant, visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au/grants/disaster-recovery-grants

Ends 

Background

Recovery Grants for primary producers

·       The primary producer recovery grants of up to $50,000 are designed to provide short-term targeted assistance for recovery and reinstatement activities, including salvaging crops and repairs to damaged farm infrastructure (e.g. fencing) and equipment.

·       To be eligible for the grant, primary producers must derive 50 per cent of their income from primary production.

·       The grants will be administered by the Rural Assistance Authority.

Other assistance available under jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) may include:

·       Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged (eligibility criteria apply)

·       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, and

·       Freight subsidies for primary producers.

Disaster assistance is available in the 53 local government areas of Bathurst, Bega Valley, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cabonne, Cobar, Coonamble, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Eurobodalla, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Inverell, Kyogle, Lachlan, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Mid-Western, Moree Plains, Muswellbrook, Narrabri, Narromine, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Richmond Valley, Shoalhaven, Singleton, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth, Tenterfield, Upper Hunter, Walcha, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin and Wentworth and Unincorporated area of NSW.