Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by the NSW East Coast Severe Weather (from 18 May 2025).
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 an Australian citizen or resident who has died as a direct result of the NSW East Coast Severe Weather (from 18 May 2025).
You have until 02 December 2025 to lodge a claim for AGDRP in the twelve (12) New South Wales LGAs of Bellingen, Central Coast, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Mid Coast Council, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and Port Stephens
People can check their eligibility for AGDRP on the Services Australia website from 2pm Wednesday 28 May 2025. For eligibility information, contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance or visit the Services Australia website.
New Zealand Disaster Recovery Payment
The New Zealand Disaster Recovery Payment (NZ DRP) is available to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who have been adversely affected by the NSW East Coast Severe Weather (from 18 May 2025).
The payment rate is $1000 per eligible 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 non-protected 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 an Australian citizen or resident who has died as a direct result of the NSW East Coast Severe Weather (from 18 May 2025).
You have until 02 December 2025 to lodge a claim for AGDRP in the twelve (12) New South Wales LGAs of Bellingen, Central Coast, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Mid Coast Council, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council and Port Stephens
People can check their eligibility for AGDRP on the Services Australia website from 2pm Wednesday 28 May 2025. For eligibility information, contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance or visit the Services Australia website.
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 NSW East Coast Severe Weather (from 18 May 2025).
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 25 November 2025 to lodge a claim for DRA in the nineteen (19) local government areas of Armidale, Bellingen Shire, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Port-Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Walcha.
People can check their eligibility for AGDRP on the Services Australia website from 2pm Wednesday 28 May 2025. For eligibility information, contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance or visit the
Services Australia website.
New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance
The New Zealand Disaster Recovery Allowance (NZ 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 NSW East Coast Severe Weather (from 18 May 2025).
NZ 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.
NZ DRA is available to Australian residents who are 16 years and older.
NZ 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 25 November 2025 to lodge a claim for DRA in the nineteen (19) local government areas of Armidale, Bellingen Shire, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Port-Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Walcha.
People can check their eligibility for AGDRP on the Services Australia website from 2pm Wednesday 28 May 2025. For eligibility information, contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance or visit the
Services Australia website.
Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements
The joint Australian, state and territory government 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 Severe Weather event, the available assistance measures may include:
- personal hardship and distress assistance
- personal and financial counselling
- removal of debris from residential properties
- 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 subsides for primary producers.
Additional Recovery Assistance Measures
Under the DRFA, the following extraordinary assistance measures have been activated for this disaster:
Recovery grants of up to $25,000 are available for eligible primary producers to help with recovery and reinstatement activities - These grants are available in the nineteen (19) local government areas of Armidale, Bellingen Shire, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Port-Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Walcha.
Recovery grants of up to $25,000 are available for eligible small businesses (with fewer than 20 employees) and non-profit organisations to help with recovery and reinstatement activities - These grants are available in the nineteen (19) local government areas of Armidale, Bellingen Shire, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Port-Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Walcha.
Rural Landholder Recovery Grants of up to $10,000 for eligible rural landholders to assist with clean-up, repairs and recovery work – These grants are available in the nineteen (19) local government areas of Armidale, Bellingen, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Walcha.
For information on available recovery assistance, visit the NSW Reconstruction Authority.
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.
