Flood affected farmers left adrift in NSW

Flood affected farmers in parts of NSW have been left adrift - wondering if the state government will deliver on disaster assistance as multiple communities across the Hunter and Mid North Coast are left reeling after record floods.

NSW Farmers Vice President Rebecca Reardon said farmers were still in the dark as to what further disaster assistance – if any – would be made available by the state government to get them back on their feet in the wake of the disaster.

“This flood has come just months after Cyclone Alfred, and the cumulative effect of these disasters has devastated farmers and their families,” Mrs Reardon said.

“We haven’t been able to assess the full scale of this disaster yet, but we know without a doubt that the damages will be in the hundreds of millions.

“Farmers prepared as much as possible, but fences and farm infrastructure have been swept away, paddocks washed out, roads cut and ruined, livestock affected, oyster farms wiped out, and pastures, orchards and crops sent underwater.”

Currently, Category B concessional loans and transport subsidies are available for farmers affected by current circumstances in the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions.

However, Mrs Reardon said Category C disaster assistance assistance must be rolled out immediately for affected farmers, with Category D assistance to follow directly after.

“Current supports simply don’t cut it – the devastation is just immense, whether you’re at Dorrigo or Kempsey, or all the way through to the Hunter,” Mrs Reardon said.

NSW Farmers are continuing to urge affected farmers to report their flood damage through the Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Assessment (PiNDDA) survey.

“We know time and connectivity are extremely limited, but if you’re an affected farmer and you get the chance, please report your flood damage through this survey, so we can show the government what the damage is, and what support we need," Mrs Reardon said.

To submit information to the PiNDDA survey or to find out more, visit the NSW Government website.

For assistance with completing the survey, farmers should contact their region’s Local Land Services office or a DPIRD Development Officer.