Thousands of dollars now available for flood victims
The victims of recent flooding events in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania are now eligible for financial support from the federal government.
Thousands of dollars in support will include ongoing payments for eligible Aussies who have lost income as a result of the floods, paid at the same rate as JobSeeker.
“The disaster recovery allowance is a payment that’s currently being made across all 71 LGAs (local government areas) ... for a total of up to 13 weeks,” Services Australia General Manager Hank Jongen told Sunrise.
“It’s to help people that have lost work or income as a direct result of the floods, regardless of whether you’re an employer, sole trader or an employee.”
Financial support is now available for people affected by flooding in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.
Claim online through @myGovau or call our Emergency information line on 180 22 66.
Read more: https://t.co/JZxDScPQsJ #NSWFloods #VicFloods #TasFloods pic.twitter.com/oF1ZEnpT40
— Services Australia (@ServicesGovAU) October 17, 2022
Mr Jongen explained that those already on JobSeeker weren’t eligible for the allowance, which is available on top of a one-off sum of $1000 for adults and $400 per child to help those seriously affected by the floods.
But, fewer Local Government Areas (LGAs) qualify for the lump sum along with the allowance, with eligible LGAs being determined by the National Emergency Management Agency.
“This is an ever-changing situation and the National Emergency Management Agency is constantly monitoring, and it works with other government agencies in order to make these declarations,” Mr Jongen explained.
The national support comes after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced assistance would be available for victims of the floods which inundated the state since last Friday.
To determine whether you are eligible for financial assistance from the federal government, head here.
Image: Getty Images