Joint Media Release

Attorney-General Minister for Emergency Management Special Minister of State Minister for the Public Service and Integrity The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP

NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services Minister for the Hunter The Hon Michael Gallacher MLC

18 July 2013

Attorney-General and Minister for Emergency Management Mark Dreyfus QC and NSW Minister for Emergency Services Michael Gallacher today announced disaster assistance for the NSW local government areas of Shoalhaven City, Goulburn-Mulwaree and Palerang after they were affected by severe storms, flooding and landslides in late June 2013.

“This disaster assistance includes a number of arrangements to help with the cost of storm relief and recovery,” Mr Dreyfus said.

Disaster assistance for these areas is now available through the NSW Disaster Assistance Arrangements and is jointly funded with the Commonwealth Government through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

The range of assistance available includes personal hardship and distress assistance, concessional loans for small business, primary producers and not-for-profit bodies, freight subsidies for primary producers and grants for voluntary not-for-profit bodies.

Assistance is also available to local and state government authorities for counter disaster operations and the restoration of essential public assets.

“These measures will help communities in South Eastern NSW to repair damage caused by the storms, flooding and landslides, and ease some of the associated burden,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“This joint funding will help the region’s local communities as they recover,” Mr Gallacher said.

“The Australian and New South Wales governments are committed to working together through the recovery process to ensure that disaster affected communities can return to normal.”

Information regarding the range of assistance that is available in each of the affected local government areas can be found at http://www.mpes.nsw.gov.au/nddassistance or on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website.

Media contacts:

Annie Williams – 02 6277 7300 (Dreyfus)

Clint McGilvray 0413 285 186;

Tess Salmon 0467 740 017 (Gallacher)

Revert to official site of the Attorney General here.