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That's the message from Federal Member for Calare Andrew Gee after Cabonne's communities were hit hard by destructive flash flooding just over a month ago.
Eugowra's business centre and homes were left gutted - some standing but stripped of all internal fixtures, others left smashed in the middle of the street - by what's being described as an "inland tsunami" on November 14.
In the days that followed, State and Federal politicians were frequent visitors to Eugowra and Forbes.
One month on, Mr Gee says Eugowra residents who want to rebuild their community need to hear from those key decision-makers in Canberra and Sydney.
"It's important for (political leaders) to come and have a look at how serious it is because they're the decision-makers," he said.
"But all of that has got to be backed up with action on the ground and I am absolutely staggered that we're now a month into this and there's no word on where these grants are."
Mr Gee is advocating for a regional reconstruction fund, similar to the $800 million package released for Lismore after the flood disaster earlier this year.
He's also calling for rapid release of the Back to Home grant, which the Service NSW website describes as up to $20,000 for restoring homes to a habitable condition or replacing essential household items.
"It's not going to be an answer to everyone's problems but it's something - it's better than what's on offer at the moment which are $1000 payments," he said.
"If you want your towns to come back, you're going to have to do more."
If you want your towns to come back, you're going to have to do more.
- Calare MP Andrew Gee questions government, going in to bat for communities in Cabonne hit hardest by the floods
When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited Eugowra he announced $50,000 grants for business and not-for-profits; when NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet visited Forbes he announced an extension to $75,000 for producers.
A Eugowra community member confronted Mr Albanese to call for help for residents.
ACM approached Minister for Emergency Services Murray Watt's office for an update and was advised, "the Albanese Government continues to work closely with the NSW Government when it comes to the needs of flood-impacted regions.
"We will continue to look at the assistance available as the full extent of the damage is identified."
But Mr Gee says people are starting to struggle and governments need to help.
"The scale of the disaster for such a small community is unbelievable. The scale of devastation is huge," he said.
"I get calls from people from the area every day. They're dealing with insurance companies at the moment and that's caused a whole new level of heartache.
"There are people trying to do work on their homes: if you haven't got insurance or you've been knocked back by your insurer $20,000 can actually really help you to get the recovery process moving whether it's to buy household items, to buy some building materials like some gyprock."
Disaster relief grants are means tested and Mr Gee's understanding is they are only really available to those with less than $10,000 in assets.
"The people eligible for it are no doubt very needy but it's only going to help a small number of people," he said.
The Central West community has rallied to help, and nearly half-a-million dollars has already been raised through GIVIT.
People are happy to do that, Mr Gee says, but governments need to do their part.
A wider reconstruction fund for not only Eugowra but other Cabonne villages hit by that storm event - Molong, too, was hammered by flash flooding on November 14 - and Forbes which suffered the biggest floods in 70 years, would help many more.
"If we had a wider reconstruction fund we could help businesses, we could help farms, even the business grants of up to $50,000 comes nowhere near to fixing up these businesses in Eugowra," Mr Gee said.
"It should help people getting back into homes, getting modular homes, infrastructure but also do more for farms, because some of the losses the farmers have had have been absolutely devastating."
Currently Eugowra (Cabonne/Forbes LGAs) is eligible for:
- Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) - a one-off federal payment of $1000 per adult and $400 per child for people who lost their homes or whose homes or major assets have been directly damaged, who have been seriously injured, or whose immediate family member has died as a direct result of the floods. Equivalent assistance is available to some NZ visa holders.
- Disaster Recovery Allowance - federal income support payments to employees and sole traders who can demonstrate they have lost income as a direct result of the floods. DRA provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances and is available to 16 years and older. Equivalent assistance is available to some NZ visa holders.
- Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements - joint state and federal assistance:
- Disaster Relief Grants help with the cost of replacing essential household items, structural repairs, or full rebuilds of properties that are unable to be lived in (Apply for the Disaster Relief Grant | Service NSW)
- Primary Producer Recovery Grants of up to $75,000 for eligible primary producers to help with recovery and reinstatement activities;
- Local Government Recovery Grants to assist Councils in undertaking immediate recovery activities, address emerging needs including road, footpath and bridge repairs, and help build community resilience;
- Rural Landholders Grants of up to $10,000 for impacted landholders not eligible for assistance under existing support mechanisms, for clean-up activities, damages or losses beyond the vicinity of the residential dwelling;
- Disaster Recovery Grants of up to $50,000 to help pay for the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of a small business or not-for-profit organisation's operations;
- Low interest loans for primary producers and small businesses of up to $130,000.
- Natural disaster relief loans for directly affected voluntary non-profit organisations
- Low interest rate loans for the restoration of essential facilities that have been damaged or destroyed, and may also be available for temporary storage or leasing of alternate premises
- Freight subsidies for primary producers for the carriage of livestock and fodder
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