Disaster Recovery Payment (for Byron, Lismore and Tweed only)
The Disaster Recovery Payment (DRP) provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by the North Coast floods.
The rate of DRP is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) for a period up to six months.
DRP is available for people who have been seriously injured, who have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, or the immediate family members of a person who has been killed, as a direct result of the floods.
You have until 4 October 2017 to lodge a claim for DRP in the Lismore and Tweed local government areas and 19 January 2018 to make a claim for DRP in the Byron local government area.
For more information on eligibility, visit the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.
Disaster Recovery Allowance (for Byron, Lismore and Tweed only)
The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) provides income support payments to employees, primary producers and sole traders who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the North Coast floods.
DRA provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of Newstart or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.
DRA is available to Australian residents who are sixteen years and older.
DRA is not available to those already receiving another income support payment or pension such as the Age Pension, Newstart Allowance or Service Pension.
You have until 4 October 2017 to lodge a claim for DRA in the Lismore and Tweed local government areas and 19 January 2018 to lodge a claim for DRA in the Byron local government area.
For more information on eligibility, visit the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.
Ex-gratia disaster assistance for New Zealand non-protected special category visa holders
New Zealand ex-gratia disaster recovery payment (for Byron, Lismore and Tweed only)
An ex-gratia payment is being provided to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who have been adversely affected by the North Coast floods.
The payment rate is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) for a period of six months.
The payment is available for SCV holders who have been seriously injured, who have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, or the immediate family members of a person who has been killed, as a direct result of the floods.
You have until 4 October 2017 to lodge a claim for the ex-gratia disaster recovery payment in the Lismore and Tweed local government areasand 19 January 2018 to lodge a claim for the ex-gratia disaster recovery payment in the Byron local government area.
For eligibility information, visit the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.
New Zealand ex-gratia income support allowance (for Byron, Lismore and Tweed only)
An ex-gratia income support allowance is available to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the North Coast floods.
The income support allowance provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of Newstart or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.
The allowance is available to SCV holders who are sixteen years and older.
You have until 4 October 2017 to lodge a claim for ex-gratia income support allowance in the Lismore and Tweed local government areas and 19 January 2018 to make a claim for ex-gratia income support allowance in the Byron local government area.
For more information on eligibility, visit the Department of Human Services (Centrelink) website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.
Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements
(for Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield and Tweed only)
The joint Australian, state and territory governments' Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) provide a range of financial assistance to the natural disaster-declared areas in each state or territory.
For the floods which commenced on 28 March 2017, the available assistance measures include:
- personal hardship and distress assistance
- restoration of essential public assets
- counter disaster operations
- concessional loans for small businesses, primary producers and voluntary non-profit organisations
- freight subsidies for primary producers
- grants for voluntary non-profit organisations.
Recovery grants are available for eligible primary producers in the local government areas of Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed. In addition to this, recovery grants are available to eligible small businesses and non-profit organisations in parts within the local government areas of Byron, Lismore and Tweed.
A Community Recovery Fund has also been established to help the recovery of affected communities.
For information on available recovery assistance, visit the Emergency NSW website.
For further information on recovery arrangements, visit the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements page.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade may replace passports that have been lost or damaged in declared natural disasters free of charge, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.
