Council receives Disaster Declaration following January storm event
Published on 16 May 2022
The Federation Council Local Government Area has now received a Natural Disaster Declaration following the severe weather event that occurred in Corowa on 31 January 2022.
Federation Council is now one of nine Local Government Areas that are eligible for disaster assistance.
The additional nine LGAs are: Blayney, Central Darling, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Federation, Hay, Junee, Lockhart, Snowy Valleys and Upper Lachlan. 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 nonprofit organisations; and
• Freight subsidies for primary producers.
The Federation Council Local Government Area, like several others, was severely impacted by severe weather events, dating back to December 2021.
Federation Council Mayor, Cr Pat Bourke said Natural Disaster Declarations were lodged by Council to the NSW Government, to assist Council with funding to repair damaged Council assets, for events in November, December and January.
“Previously, Council received notification that the events of November and December have been approved and of major concern to Council was the extreme weather event that impacted many parts of the Corowa Township on 31 January 2022, had not been announced as a natural disaster,” he said.
“The area was subjected to 192mm of rain in around 4 hours, and this is an event that is greater than a 1 in 2000 year event. Council continued to advocate for our community to receive this declaration that will go a long way in to providing assistance to residents affected and is also anticipated to assist Council financially in recovering costs associated with the restoration of public assets and repair road damage.
For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, residents are encouraged to contact Service NSW on 13 77 88. To apply for a concessional loan, residents are encouraged to contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au.