Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather (from 3 March 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 Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather (from 3 March 2025).
You have until 12 September 2025 to lodge a claim for AGDRP in the eight (8) local government areas of Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed.
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 Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather (from 3 March 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 Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather (from 3 March 2025).
You have until 12 September 2025 to lodge a claim for AGDRP in the eight (8) local government areas of Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley and Tweed.
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 Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather.
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 8 September 2025 to lodge a claim for DRA in the eighteen (18) local government areas of Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Lord Howe Island, Mid-Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield and Tweed.
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 Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather.
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 8 September 2025 to lodge a claim for NZ DRA in the eighteen (18) local government areas of Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Lord Howe Island, Mid-Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield and Tweed.
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 governments’ Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) provide a range of financial assistance to the natural disaster-declared areas in each state or territory.
For Tropical Cyclone Alfred Severe Weather, the available assistance measures may include:
- personal hardship and distress assistance
- 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.
Additional Recovery Assistance Measures
Under the DRFA, the following extraordinary assistance measures have been activated for this disaster:
Community Recovery Support Fund – provide grants to councils to support the delivery of essential immediate recovery activities, including clean-up.
Drainage Reset Program – to undertake restoration of drainage assets impacted by the event.
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, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Lord Howe Island, Mid-Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield, Tweed 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, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glen Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Lord Howe Island, Mid-Coast, Nambucca, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield, Tweed and Walcha.
For information on available recovery assistance, visit the NSW Reconstruction Authority and Service NSW websites.
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.
