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WELCOME - Special Flood Edition 
Issue 40 - 9 March 2022
Message from your RALF

Hello everyone,

My thoughts and well wishes go out to everyone who has been affected by yet another disaster, the second major flood in less than 12 months. Please feel free to pass this onto anyone you know who may have been impacted.

This special flood edition March 2022 provides information and links for help and financial assistance for those who have been affected. Follow up information will also be provided in a normal monthly edition within the next fortnight.

NOTE: Conditions are still dangerous. If you find yourself in a life threatening situation, dial 000If you require assistance due to flood or storm damage, please phone the NSW SES on 132 500Do not drive through or enter flood waters. Roads may have been damaged severely, debris may have been deposited anywhere and flood waters can carry diseases and pathogens. 

If you know someone who might be interested in joining the Greater Sydney Small Farms network, they can register 
HERE. To provide ideas on how the Greater Sydney Small Farms network can help you,  please email me or phone 02 4724 2151 or 0436 803 337
Regards

Richard Stephens
Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator (RALF)
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Flood help is available
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Help for flood affected landholders & communities

Emergency assistance for fodder or livestock support. For help with the provision of emergency fodder, animal assessment, veterinary assistance, stock euthanasia and disposal, livestock feeding and management advice and care of animals in evacuation centres, call the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647 or click HERE.

Missing or stranded stock. Register with the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647 and consider contacting your local council, local veterinary clinics, animal welfare or rescue groups, microchip registry, and check social media sources such as local community noticeboards.

Evacuation Centres. Please check the SES Website HERE for a list of current evacuation centres for people and domestic pets. Castle Hill Showground has been opened as a livestock evacuation centre, click HERE.      

Local Council flood information. For local council flood information, click on the following: Blue Mountains, Camden, Central Coast, Hawkesbury, Penrith, Wollondilly.

Natural disaster assistance for NSW primary producers. For a summary of emergency assistance, primary producer support, financial assistance, animal welfare and management, health and wellbeing and other support, click HERE.

Hawkesbury flood recovery information. For support from the Hawkesbury Community to help with recovery from both the 2021 and 2022 floods, click HERE. For Hawkesbury Council 2022 flood related information, click HERE. 


Road closures & travel advice. For up to date information on the latest road closures and real-time traffic conditions, click HERE.

Mental health services.  If you are experiencing mental health challenges, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467. Trained mental health professionals from our region are available HERE, or phone 1800 595 212, Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm (except public holidays). 

Insurances. If you have insurance, contact your insurer for advice on the actions you should take as soon as possible after flooding. The Insurance Council of Australia can also provide advice on lodging a claim, click HERE or call 1800 734 621 anytime. Also, the Legal Aid NSW Disaster Assistance Hotline is available to help with insurance claims and any associated legal problems that may arise, call 1800 801 529 or click HERE. 
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Financial Assistance
Flood Recovery Small Business Grants. NSW small businesses and not-for-profits (NFP) affected by the severe weather and floods in February and March 2022 can now apply for up to $50,000 in government support. Click HERE.
 

Disaster Recovery Payment: $1,000 for adults and $400 for children
The Disaster Recovery Payment is a one-off, non-means tests payment of $1,000 for adults and $400 for children, who have been seriously injured, lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, or the immediate family members of a person who has lost their life, as a direct result of the storms and floods. Click 
HERE to find out if you are eligible, or phone Services Australia on 1180 22 66.
 
Disaster Recovery Allowance: short-term income support for 13 weeks
The Disaster Recovery Allowance provides a short-term income support payment to assist individuals whose income has been affected as a direct result of the storms and floods, for up to 13 weeks. Click
 HERE or phone Services Australia on 1180 22 66.


Farm Household Allowance
The Farm Household Allowance program provides assistance to farming families experiencing financial hardship, no matter the cause of that hardship. The program provides eligible farmers and their partners with a package of assistance that includes:
     - up to four years of fortnightly income support (in every 10-year period)

     - ancillary allowances such as Pharmaceutical Allowance, Telephone Allowance, Rent Assistance and Remote Area Allowance
      - a professional financial assessment of the farm business (worth up to $1,500)
      - funding to help develop skills, access training and pay for professional advice (up to $10,000 and can now include reasonable travel and accommodation to undertake training)
      - regular support of a case manager. 
For further information, click HERE.

Disaster Relief Grant
The Disaster Relief Grant helps people to recover from the effects of a disaster and re-establish a basic standard of living. It is not provided to replace insurance or compensate for losses. You may be eligible for financial support if:
     - Your home (primary place of residence) was damaged by a natural disaster
     - You do not have insurance for the damage
     - You are a low-income earner with limited financial resources
Click HERE or phone Resilience NSW on 13 77 88 and ask about the Disaster Relief Grant.

Rural Assistance Authority Natural Disaster Assistance
For disaster relief loans and natural disaster transport subsidy, click 
HERE.
 
Disaster Assistance finder
For tailored information on available disaster assistance,  please click
HERE or contact the Disaster Customer Care Service at Service NSW on 13 77 88.
 
Please note, a number of these measures have eligibility requirements.

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Flood Resources
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Farm Flood Guide
NSW Local Land Services have developed a Farm Flood guide to help primary producers prepare for and deal with floods. Click HERE or call 1300 795 299.
Caring for livestock in times of flood
A flood and its aftermath can pose significant challenges for livestock owners. Ensure stock have adequate access to food, water and shelter. Prolonged wet conditions can lead to significant feed shortages, higher stocking densities and intermingling of animal groups  that would not normally be kept together. Also, animals are often stressed with reduced immune systems, soft feet and skin, and have a far higher risk of disease. Click HERE.
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Carcass disposal
Improper carcass disposal can have significant impacts on environmental, human and animal health. Poor carcass disposal can result in contamination of soil, ground water and water ways. Access to poorly disposed carcasses can also allow for significant disease spread through scavengers, mosquitoes and vermin. Carcass disposal should occur as soon as possible after the animal has died. Click HERE for a carcass disposal Primefact.

Current declarations
A list of all Local Government Areas with current declarations as a result of flooding can be found
HERE.

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Damage survey
Primary producers and agricultural landholders affected by the floods are asked to complete the DPI’s natural disaster damage survey, click HERE. the information collected is used to determine the scale and severity of the impact and what assistance and resources are required where. Surveys can be submitted via phone or computer. Ag industry representatives can fill this form out on behalf of farmers, with their consent.

Pasture options after a coastal flood
Pasture species differ in their ability to survive inundation and water-logging. Sensitivity to waterlogging also varies with temperature, so a flood in summer kills pasture much quicker than a winter flood. Click HERE for a copy of this Department of Primary Industry (DPI) Primefact
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Helping wildlife after floods
Native wildlife may have been heavily impacted by the floods, either through injury, death or habitat destruction. Disorientated, stressed and/or injured, animals should be monitored, remove threats such as pet, vehicles and children, note the exact location and problem and contact a wildlife recue group, such as WIRES. Click HERE for more information.
Service NSW available programs

Service NSW has a tool to help find a personalised list of available programs and services for those affected by severe storms or floods. Click HERE or call 13 77 88.
 
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Riverbank Rehabilitation
​The Riverbank Rehabilitation Project is addressing erosion and flood damage in Greater Sydney, Hunter and North Coast regions. It will facilitate a streamlined waterway approval process to ensure post-flood rehabilitation works are appropriate, support long-term river health and protect assets and businesses. A fact sheet is available and you can register for updates.
This project is supported by Greater Sydney Local Land Services through funding from the Australian Government's National Landcare Program. 
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The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing. However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information with the appropriate officer of Local Land Services or the user’s independent adviser. For updates go to www.lls.nsw.gov.au 
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Lvl 4, 2-6 Station Street
Penrith
NSW
2750
Australia
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