Flooded communities across NSW will soon be receiving emergency payments after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese approved federal financial support for those affected.
Adults in 23 local government areas that were impacted by floods will be eligible for a $1000 disaster recovery payment plus $400 for every child. These one-off payments are said to be available starting Thursday afternoon.
Employees and sole traders who have lost income due to the floods may also receive the disaster recovery allowance for up to 13 weeks
Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the payments are expected to hit people’s bank accounts as quickly as possible.
“There are some people who are still waiting for approval of payments from earlier floods … we intend to address that going forward,” he said.
“These payments announced today, they are quick, simple payments to get out the door as quickly as possible and that’s what we intend to do.”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister visited the rain-ravaged areas alongside NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet on Wednesday, a day after the Prime Minister returned to Australia following a trip to Europe for the NATO summit and to war-torn Ukraine.
“I’m interested in getting support on the ground for our people who need it … the response between the Commonwealth government and the state has been pleasing,” NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said.
A further 100 Australian Defence Force members will also be deployed to assist with the flood response, adding to the 100 ADF personnel who were already assisting with 50 more available to help during the eventual clean-up operation.
Three ADF helicopters have also been deployed to assist specifically at night.
The Prime Minister said the federal government is working with state counterparts to provide the assistance requested during the crisis.
“I’m very pleased the Commonwealth is cooperating so well with the NSW government,” he said.
“It is a seamless relationship that we have, which is what people want to see at a time like this.”
While it has been the fourth time in 18 months that some parts of NSW have been hit with flooding, the federal government has yet to declare a “national emergency due to the disaster not having reached a high enough threshold.
As weather conditions are expected to ease starting this Thursday, over 50,000 people have been subjected to evacuation orders across NSW due to the flooding.
With AAP