Bushfire Assistance for Cessnock and Shoalhaven

BY LAURA D'AMICO

Disaster assistance is being provided for Cessnock and Port Stephens communities affected by the mid-August bushfires.

The fires, fuelled by strong seasonal winds, scorched through over 2000 hectares, with significant operations required from first responders from the RFS and Fire & Rescue NSW.

Assistance is being jointly provided by Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) in response to the bushfires, with assistance measures available for local Councils' clean up and restoration costs, as well as for eligible people whose homes and belongings were damaged.

The NDRRA will also be providing freight subsidies for primary producers and grants for eligible non-profit organisations.

To apply for assistance you can contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority.

Further information on disaster assistance and emergency information can be found at disasterassist.gov.au and emergency.nsw.gov.au.

Cessnock to benefit from Commonwealth disaster relief

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Regional NSW communities affected by bush fires will now be eligible to receive support from the federal government under new Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

It comes following the September 13 bush fires which devastated the Cessnock region.

Cessnock is listed as one of five Local Government Areas eligible to receive assistance, with fires at Kempsey, Shoalhaven, Mid North Coast and Port Macquarie also attracting the help of the Commonwealth under the scheme.

Through cash grants to local councils, affected residents and businesses will receive support in clean-up and restoration efforts.

Federal Minister for Justice, Michael Keenan, says "Assistance may also include things like helping eligible people whose homes and belongings have been damaged; concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, farmers and non-profits and freight subsidies for farmers."

The Minister says grants are additionally available for eligible non-profits; potentially giving aid to organisations like the Richmond Vale Railway Museum, which sustained damage in excess of $1 million during the September fires.

"It's not capped funding," Minister Keenan explains, "We provide the assistance as is required. So if you, as an individual, business or organisation meet the criteria, we will provide access to that assistance."

An application process exists to secure the Commonwealth assistance, but the Minister believes it's easy to complete- "We try to keep it as simple as possible, we don't want people to be tied-up in bureaucracy and red tape."

For more information on the application process go to the Australian Government's Disaster Assist or the NSW Government's Emergency Information and Response website.

Federal Minister for Justice, Michael Keenan. Image: SBS. 

Firefighters work to contain the blaze at Richmond Vale, September 2017. Image: ABC.