A state of natural disaster declaration for the Upper Hunter electorate has been extended to include another two council areas.
Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell said the natural disaster declaration for the Local Government Areas of Muswellbrook and MidCoast, including the Gloucester and Stroud districts, means that funding and support is available to eligible local residents, businesses, primary producers and the councils.
“The assistance is available to people whose homes or essential household items have been destroyed or damaged, and for business owners and primary producers who have suffered direct damage,” Mr Layzell said.
“Assistance is also available to MidCoast Council and Muswellbrook Shire Council to restore essential public assets like local roads.
“I urge any local homeowner, business owner or primary producer that suffered direct damage from the East Coast Low’s intense rainfall and subsequent floods this week to apply for the funding and support which is now on offer.”
Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Assistance available under the DRFA may include:
· Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged (eligibility criteria apply);
· Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets;
· Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations; and
· Freight subsidies for primary producers.
The inclusion of the MidCoast and Muswellbrook council LGAs comes within a day of the declaration of Singleton and Dungog council areas as natural disaster locations following the latest flooding to impact the Upper Hunter electorate this year.
For more information, go to: www.service.nsw.gov.au/floods.
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