Fourteen local government areas in South Australia’s north have been deemed eligible for financial assistance to help with flood recovery.
With road and rail links still affected by the impacts of ex-tropical cyclone Tiffany, the Commonwealth and SA governments will jointly fund repairs to key public infrastructure through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
The initial assistance will ensure councils can cover the costs associated with clean-up activities, restoring roads and keeping communities safe.
The heavy rain and flooding caused major problems for local residents, disrupted supply chains and forced the federal government to provide assistance with the delivery of food and supplies to affected areas.
The 14 LGAs eligible for DRFA assistance include Cleve, Coober Pedy, Elliston, Flinders Ranges, Franklin Harbour, Grant, Kimba, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Pastoral Unincorporated Land, Port Augusta, Roxby Downs, Streaky Bay, Tumby Bay and Whyalla.
DRFA assistance is also being provided to flood-affected local governments in Western Queensland, including Barcoo, Boulia, Bulloo, Cloncurry, Diamantina, Mount Isa, Quilpie and Winton Shire Councils to enable them to carry out counter disaster operations and restore essential public assets damaged by extreme rainfall and flooding in January.
Queensland’s Noosa Shire and Isaac Regional Councils are also getting extended disaster assistance to with clean-up, repair and rebuilding efforts after a severe flooding event between November and December last year.
In other DRFA news, Victoria’s Mansfield Shire and Wellington Shire are to receive further disaster assistance to repair and reconstruct essential public assets damaged by an earthquake in September 2021.
In NSW, disaster assistance has been made available in the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Albury, Bland, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Greater Hume, Griffith, Hilltops, Narrandera and Temora following severe storms and flash flooding across the Riverina-Murray in early January.