$400M STORMS AND FLOODS PHASE 3 RECOVERY PACKAGE
The storm and flood event earlier this year, swept through leaving our towns and villages devastated with a massive clean-up for in our homes, farms, businesses and across community facilities.
We are resilient and working together with the assistance of our emergency services, councils and Army Reserves we tackled the clean-up and dusted ourselves off.
The Commonwealth and NSW Governments have announced the Phase 3 Recovery Package.
Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Recovery Package have delivered close to $515 million assisting households, businesses, primary producers and local councils including the deployment of clean-up strike teams along with recovery grants of up to $75,000 for primary producers and grants of up to $50,000 for small businesses and non-profit organisations to support recovery and reinstatement activities.
PHASE 3 RECOVERY PACKAGE
This phase will deliver nine (9) key initiatives targeted at supporting the next phase of recovery for flood affected communities and industries. Phase 3 will provide medium to long-term targeted recovery support
1. $79.8m for the NSW Flood Industry Recovery Package
This package will provide targeted funding for the agriculture, aquaculture, and horticulture industries to support immediate and longer-term recovery needs and retention of jobs for eligible producers and businesses.
2. $52.5m for the Community Infrastructure Repair Program
This program will provide targeted infrastructure repair and renewal in partnership with local councils in high to severely impacted disaster declared LGAs.
3. $25.2 million for $10,000 Rural Landholder Grants
These grants of up to $10,000 are to reimburse rural landholders for the cost of clean-up activities, losses or damages beyond the vicinity of the residential dwelling, not covered by insurance, and for rural landholders who do not qualify for the $75,000 primary producer grant or the $50,000 small business grant.
4. $18.5m for the restoration of riverbanks
This program will assist private landowners, NSW Government Agencies and Councils to ensure post-flood remediation works on riverbanks can be done quickly, are appropriate and consistent with Government policy and regulations, will support the long-term health of the rivers, and protect assets and businesses.
5. $14.1m for the Mental Health and Community Wellbeing Program
This funding will provide targeted support for children, young people and Aboriginal communities impacted by the storms and floods for up to 24 months.
This package will fund programs to address mental health needs in these specific, vulnerable and under-serviced cohorts and will complement other mainstream services that are already available.
6. $7.9m for the restoration of Jenolan Caves
This funding will support public land managers to restore damaged environmental assets and in some cases, rebuild them to a more resilient standard.
7. $4.4m for Local Recovery Resources
This funding is for severely impacted councils to engage a designated floods Community Recovery Officer for up to 24 months to deliver community-based recovery initiatives and assist people to navigate and access recovery support.
8. $1m for volunteer/not-for-profit organisations
This funding is for volunteer organisations such as BlazeAid to purchase fencing material and equipment to support rural fencing programs in flood-affected communities.
The ninth initiative is a $200 million Infrastructure Betterment Fund, which will be established to support the reconstruction and improved disaster resilience of public assets damaged during the recent storms and floods, as well as the 2019‑20 bushfires.
People requiring ongoing flood assistance, support and referral are urged to contact Service NSW on 13 77 88.
Information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government's Disaster Assist website.
As always if I can assist please feel free to contact my office.