Advertise with News of The Area today.
It’s worth it for your business.
Message us.
Phone us – (02) 4981 8882.
Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au

Assistance measures that may be provided to communities through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) include:

● Support for eligible residents to help meet immediate needs like emergency accommodation.

● Grants for low income, uninsured residents to replace lost essential household items to maintain basic standard of living.

● Grants for low income, uninsured residents to undertake essential structural repairs to restore their homes to a safe and habitable condition.

● Support for affected local councils and other agencies to help with the costs of cleaning up, keeping the community safe and restoring damaged essential public assets.

● Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers, and non-profit organisations and grants to sporting and recreation clubs to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property.

● Freight subsidies for primary producers to help transport livestock and fodder.

Further information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au.

Residents in storm-affected areas across the Hunter can also now dispose of damaged items and storm debris at the tip without paying the waste levy.

The NSW Government has waived the waste levy fee for six weeks to support communities impacted by recent severe thunderstorms as they rebuild and recover.

The Natural Disaster Waste Levy Exemption now applies to the following additional Local Government Areas:

Upper Hunter; MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Dungog, Singleton, Cessnock, Maitland and Port Stephens.

This assistance aims to speed up recovery efforts and reduce financial pressures on households and businesses.

The exemption is backdated to 15 January 2025 and will remain in place until 28 February 2025.

Requests for extensions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The waiver covers storm-related waste on public and private land, including damaged building materials, furniture, carpet, garden debris, food waste and other items.

Landfill operators may still charge their landfill operation charge also known as the gate fee or tip fee.

Ausgrid is also offering a $250 payout to cover costs of spoilage related to power outages.

Details and claim forms can be found on their website www.ausgrid.com.au.