NSW will offer flood victims $20,000 grants to assist with rebuilding their homes after the state grew tired of waiting for the federal government to pitch in.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Northern NSW has been hit with repeated floods in recent weeks, destroying homes and businesses and hampering efforts to clean up.
Housing remains a priority, with hundreds of people still in emergency accommodation and others staying with friends and family.
Premier Dominic Perrottet and Deputy Premier Paul Toole toured Lismore on Monday and announced the state government's new $112 million Back To Home grants package for flood affected homes.
The $20,000 grants were delayed as the state government waited for federal support, Mr Toole said.
"We've been working on this package now for a number of weeks, we can't wait any longer ... we want to make sure that people get back into a home," Mr Toole said.
Mr Perrottet said NSW would welcome "as much support as we can get from the federal government".
"But ultimately we're not going to wait, we're going to get on with the job and we're going to rebuild our communities," he said.
Lismore Labor MP Janelle Saffin said the grants could have provided the $50,000 she requested if the federal government had chipped in, but the NSW grants were a good start.
"I do want the federal government to step up, it's a bit too slow, I'll leave it at that," Ms Saffin said.
The grants will assist people paying for things like new carpeting, electrical wiring and plaster repairs to flood-hit homes, as well as appliances like fridges and washing machines, for uninsured properties where homes have been assessed as damaged, destroyed or uninhabitable.
Eight local government areas, primarily in northern NSW as well as residents in the Hawkesbury region in western Sydney will be eligible.
Owner-occupiers can access $20,000 under the new grants to rebuild their homes and purchase necessary furniture and appliances, while landlords can access $15,000 for repairs and their tenants $5000 for contents.
The new funds were welcomed by Opposition Leader Chris Minns but he criticised the speed of payments for existing grants.
"They still haven't gotten the old money out the door: 548 people have actually been paid as part of the government's grants process but 9000 have applied and haven't got dollar from the NSW government yet," Mr Minns said.
Mr Perrottet said the government would be addressing the delays in grants being administered as he also did not believe that was happening fast enough.
ServiceNSW is due to receive more staff to help process applications with a view to approving more.
NSW has established 17 flood recovery centres where residents can find support and make applications, however a number are currently closed due to the return of severe weather.
Evacuation orders are in place around northern NSW in parts of Coraki, Broadwater, Wardell, Cabbage Tree Island, Bungawalbyn, Woodburn and Swan Bay.
Lismore residents were given the all clear to return on Monday.
Thousands of ADF personnel remain in the region, assisting the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service.
Following criticism about the speed ADF personnel were deployed when flooding began in February, the federal government on Monday announced a boost to "deployable infrastructure", which can be used for disaster relief among other operations.
Wild weather continued around the state with damaging coastal conditions hammering beaches on the weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting further rain and damaging weather around NSW as the week continues.
Australian Associated Press
