Minister for Justice Michael Keenan and New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services Troy Grant announced the funding on Friday, April 7.

The assistance is being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

Minister Keenan said the Australian and New South Wales governments are committed to working together to help disaster affected communities recover from natural disasters.

“The January storm caused significant damage across the Mid-Western Regional local government area, particularly in Mudgee. Today’s assistance will ensure that those affected have access to the support they need,” Mr Keenan said.

Minister Grant said a range of support has been made available through the NDRRA to assist affected individuals, small businesses, primary producers and the local council.

“Importantly, the funding available under the program will ensure the local council has the capacity to clean-up the damage caused by the storm and repair essential public assets,” Mr Grant said.

Assistance available under the NDRRA may include:

• Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged

• 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

• Freight subsidies for primary producers

• Grants to eligible non-profit organisations.

For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact the Disaster Welfare Assistance Line on 1800 018 444.

To apply for a concessional loan, grant or freight subsidy, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit raa.nsw.gov.au.

Further information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website disasterassist.gov.au and the New South Wales emergency information and response website at emergency.nsw.gov.au.