Extension of disaster payment for Glen Innes, Walcha

11 Nov 2019

Immediate financial support has been made available to more residents in the New England following last weekend’s bushfires. 

 

Assistance is being provided through the activation of the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) - $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children - and the Disaster Recovery Allowance.

 

Federal Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, said the AGDRP is available in the Glen Innes Severn and Walcha local government areas.

 

“Lives have been lost, people have been injured and many homes have been destroyed by these fires in our region in the last few days,” Mr Joyce said.

 

“I was there visiting Wytaliba residents on Sunday, speaking with people at the evacuation centre as well as the tireless volunteers fighting the fires.”

 

Glen Innes and Walcha’s recent eligibility for AGDRP follows the inclusion of Tenterfield and Armidale local government areas in the payment scheme in October.

 

“These payments which we have made available this week are above and beyond standard disaster assistance and the same which Tenterfield and Armidale shire residents were able to access last month following my visit to the fire ground there,” Mr Joyce said.

 

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

 

Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said the Disaster Recovery Payment would immediately put cash into the pockets of those in need.

 

“This is cash in the hand to give families dignity and help them recover from the fires,” Minister Littleproud said.

 

“We’ve also activated the Disaster Recovery Allowance providing eligible applicants up to 13 weeks income support.”

 

In NSW, the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment is now available in 10 Local Government Areas and the Disaster Recovery Allowance is available in 14 LGAs.

 

For more information or to make a claim visit humanservices.gov.au/disaster or call 180 22 66. More information on disaster assistance can be found at disasterassist.gov.au

 

(ENDS)

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