Riverina and Central West farmers and primary producers impacted by recent floods will
have access to grants of up to $50,000.
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack joined both the Commonwealth and NSW
Ministers responsible for emergency management, services and resilience, Senator Bridget McKenzie and Steph Cooke as well as recently appointed NSW Minister for Agriculture, Dugald Saunders, to announce the disaster recovery funding.
The announcement was made at “Traversdale”, the Bedgerabong property of Jackie and
Scott Darcy, who hosted Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Premier Dominic
Perrottet on their visit to inspect flood damage in the area earlier this month.
Member for Riverina Michael McCormack thanked the Darcys and other local Central West farmers for their input into the development of the assistance announced today.
Financial assistance is being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State
Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Mr McCormack said local farmers in the Riverina and Central West, especially the Cowra,
Forbes, Lockhart and Weddin Shires, have been hit hard by the recent severe weather across regional NSW.
“Eligible farmers and primary producers, from six of the 12 Local Government Areas in the Riverina electorate, will now have access to grants of up to $50,000 to help them get back on their feet," Michael said.
"The financial assistance, which will also help those in Cootamundra-Gundagai and Parkes LGAs, covers recovery and reinstatement activities, including salvaging crops and repairs to damaged farm infrastructure, including fencing and equipment.
“In our part of NSW we’ve seen farming communities dealt blow after blow, with some
farmers having experienced compounding disasters. From drought to the mouse plague and more recently, devastating floods.”
The Australian and NSW Governments are jointly committing more than $80 million to make assistance available for eligible local primary producers.
“After my most recent visit to Forbes, with the Prime Minister and the Premier, I raised the concerns of farmers about issues they were experiencing directly with the Co-ordinator General of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency, The Hon. Shane Stone AC QC," Mr McCormack said.
"Following those meetings that the Government, has compiled the package announced today.
“These grants will enable eligible primary production enterprises to access $10,000 up-front to help with initial recovery costs and a further $40,000 to continue repairing the damage to their property if required.”
For details on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact Service NSW on 13 77 88. To find out more and apply for a primary producer grant, visit