NSW flooding: 14 September 2022 onwards

​​​​​​​​Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by the floods in New South Wales.

The rate of AGDRP is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with Services Australia  for a period up to 6 months.

AGDRP is available for people who have been seriously injured, have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, whose major assets have been directly damaged or are the immediate family members of a person who has died as a direct result of the floods.

You have until 9 July 2023 to lodge a claim for AGDRP in the twenty-six (26) local government areas of: Balranald, Bathurst, Bourke, Cabonne, Central Darling, ​Cobar, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Edward River, Forbes, Gunnedah, Lachlan, Liverpool Plains, Moree Plains, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Narrabri, Narrandera, Parkes, Snowy Valleys,Upper Lachlan, Wagga Wagga, Walgett, Weddin and Wentworth.

For more information on eligibility, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.

New Zealand disaster recovery payment

A grant payment is being provided to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who have been adversely affected by the floods in New South Wales.

The payment rate is $1000 per eligible adult, $1000 per partner or dependent adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with Services Australia for a period of 6 months.

The payment is available for SCV holders who have been seriously injured, have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, whose major assets have been directly damaged or are the immediate family members of a person who has died as a direct result of the floods.

You have until 9 July 2023 to lodge a claim for the New Zealand disaster recovery payment in the twenty-six (26) local government areas of: Balranald, Bathurst, Bourke, Cabonne, Central Darling, Cobar, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Edward River, Forbes, Gunnedah, Lachlan, Liverpool Plains, Moree Plains, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Narrabri, Narrandera, Parkes, Snowy Valleys, Upper Lachlan, Wagga Wagga, Walgett, Weddin and Wentworth.

For eligibility information, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.

Disaster Recovery Allowance

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 floods in New South Wales.

DRA provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.

DRA is available to Australian residents who are 16 years and older.

DRA is not available to those already receiving another income support payment or pension such as the Age Pension, JobSeeker Payment or Service Pension.

You have until 9 July 2023 to lodge a claim for DRA in the seventy-six​ (76) local government areas of: Albury, Balranald, Bathurst, Bega Valley, Berrigan, Bland, Blayney, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cabonne, Carrathool, Central Coast, Central Darling, Cobar, Coolamon, Coonamble, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Edward River, Eurobodalla, Federation, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Griffith, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Hawkesbury, Hay, Hilltops, Inverell, Junee, Kyogle, Lachlan, Leeton, Lismore, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Moree Plains, Mid-Western, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narrabri, Narrandera, Narromine, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Richmond Valley, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth, Temora, Upper Hunter, Upper Lachlan, Uralla, Wagga Wagga, Walcha, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin, Wentworth, Wingecarribee, Yass Valley and the Unincorporated Area.

For eligibility information, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.

New Zealand disaster recovery allowance

The New Zealand disaster recovery 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 floods in New South Wales.

The disaster recovery allowance provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.

The allowance is available to SCV holders who are 16 years and older.

You have until 9 July 2023 to lodge a claim for the New Zealand disaster recovery allowance in the seventy-six (76) local government areas of: Albury, Balranald, Bathurst, Bega Valley, Berrigan, Bland, Blayney, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cabonne, Carrathool, Central Coast, Central Darling, Cobar, Coolamon, Coonamble, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Edward River, Eurobodalla, Federation, Forbes, Gilgandra, Glen Innes Severn, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Griffith, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Hawkesbury, Hay, Hilltops, Inverell, Junee, Kyogle, Lachlan, Leeton, Lismore, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Moree Plains, Mid-Western, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Narrabri, Narrandera, Narromine, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Richmond Valley, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth, Temora, Upper Hunter, Upper Lachlan, Uralla, Wagga Wagga, Walcha, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle, Weddin, Wentworth, Wingecarribee, Yass Valley and the Unincorporated Area.

For more information on eligibility, visit the Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.

Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements

The joint Australian, state and territory governments' Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) provide a range of financial assistance to the natural disaster-declared areas in each state or territory.

For the NSW Flooding (14 September onwards), the available assistance measures include:

• Personal hardship and distress assistance
  
• Personal and financial counselling​
  
• Counter disaster operations
• Restoration of essential public assets
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations who have suffered direct damage
  
• Freight subsidies for primary producers
• Grants for non-profit organisations
  
• Central West Caravan and Modular Housing Program.​​
  

Additional Recovery Assistance Measures

Under the DRFA, the following additional assistance measures have been activated for this disaster:

• Primary Producer Recovery Grants: Recovery grants of up to $75,000 are available for eligible primary producers to help with recovery and reinstatement activities.
• ​Rural Landholders Grant: Grants of up to $10,000 for impacted landholders, not eligible for assistance under existing support mechanisms, for clean-up activities, damages or losses beyond the vicinity of the residential dwelling.
• Small Business and Non-Profit Organisation Recovery Grants: Recovery grants of up to $50,000 are available for eligible small businesses and non-profit organisations to help with recovery and reinstatement activities.
• ​Local Government Recovery Grants: These grants will provide funding assistance to local governments to assist them in undertaking immediate recovery activities, address emerging needs and help build community resilience. Grants will be used to fund initiatives across the built, social, economic and natural environment recovery domains.
• Clean-up Assistance Program for clean-up of properties, waste transfer and disposal, clean-up and restoration of public, community and environmental asset.
• Community Volunteer and Non-Government Organisations program: to support critical service delivery by NGOs and support local community-led social recovery programs.
• Medium Size Business Support Grants: to assist with clean-up and reinstatement of a medium business or not-for-profit organisation’s operations.
  
• Central West Recovery and Resilience Package to support the repair and replacement of critical community assets, improve the resilience of public infrastructure and provide legal aid assistance.  ​
  

The following assistance measures have been made available for the highly impacted local government areas of Balranald, Bathurst, Berrigan, Cabonne, Carathool, Central Darling, Cobar, Coolamon, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Edward River, Federation, Forbes, Gunnedah, Hilltops, Lachlan, Liverpool Plains, Moree Plains, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Narrabri, Narrandera, Parkes, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Upper Lachlan, Wagga Wagga, Walgett, and Wentworth:

• ​Back Home grants of up to $20,000 to help pay for costs towards restoring housing to a habitable condition or replacing essential household items.
  
• Rental Support Scheme to contribute to the cost of 16 weeks rental support for eligible applicants to ensure households can secure accommodation.
  

The following assistance measure has been made available for the highly impacted local government areas of Bathurst, Cabonne, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Cowra, Dubbo, Forbes, Gunnedah, Lachlan, Liverpool Plains, Moree Plains, Murray River, Narrabri, Parkes, Snowy Valleys, Upper Lachlan, Wagga Wagga, and Walgett:

• ​Property Damage Assessment Program for the assessment of properties and demolition of those found to be uninhabitable.
  

For further information on recovery arrangements, visit the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements page.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will replace passports that have been lost or damaged in declared natural disasters free of charge, visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.