Dozens of ADF personnel to assist recovery efforts in flood affected NSW Mid North Coast communities after PM confirms additional support

Sky News AU

26-05-2025

Dozens of Australian Defence Force personnel are being deployed to the New South Wales Mid North Coast to help with recovery efforts in flood-affected communities.
Anthony Albanese confirmed on Monday that the federal government was providing on the ground clean-up support, in addition to financial assistance for residents.
The Prime Minister made the announcement from the national situation room in Canberra ahead of a visit back to communities devastated by last week's deadly flooding.
"From tomorrow, we will have 70 Australian Defence Force personnel on the ground in the Mid North Coast, helping with recovery, helping with clean-up as well," he said.
"As well as that, there'll be a team from Disaster Relief Australia, 25 initially. There'll be 100 personnel from DRA on the ground by the end of this week to provide assistance.
"They will be involved in clean-up, in debris removal, in welfare checks and re-establishing critical infrastructure that is so important for these communities."
The government previously said residents most severely impacted by the flooding would have access to the Disaster Recovery Allowance, with other financial support offered.
"The Disaster Recovery Allowance is up to 13 weeks of income support for those who've lost work due to this event in the four most severely affected local government areas," Mr Albanese said.
"Eligible individuals can apply from 2pm today through the myGov app or through the Services Australia website. The personal hardship payments are going out, $180 for eligible adults and up to $900 per family in the 19 affected local government areas.
"The community recovery support fund is immediately available - $1 million for these 19 councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and repairing damage and that funding is available immediately.
"For primary producers and small businesses, concessional rate loans, as well as freight subsidies to help transport livestock and fodder will be available as well. We'll continue to monitor what is necessary and we will ensure that the government does have your back if you're in these affected communities."
The 19 council areas include Armidale, Bellingen, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, MidCoast, Muswellbrook, Nambucca, Newcastle, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Singleton, Upper Hunter and Walcha.
Mr Albanese visited Maitland in the Hunter Valley on Friday to meet with SES personnel and provide an update on the floods but said he will travel further north to where the flooding was most severe.
"Tomorrow, I'll travel to visit affected communities, and to see first hand again what the impact is having," he said.
"Can I say for those people who've lost loved ones, my heart goes out to you.
"This is a devastating impact and we need to... continually remind people, if it's flooded, forget it. Do not take risks. There are still risks out there."
Five people died in the flooding disaster.
Tens of thousands of residents were cut off and left without electricity, while initial estimates indicate 10,000 properties have been damaged by the floods, which most severely impacted Taree and areas around Port Macquarie.
"Unfortunately, we are getting far too much experience in dealing with extreme weather events. The science told us that there would be more frequent events and that they would be more intense," Mr Albanese said.
"That is what we are seeing playing out with the devastating impact on communities, most significantly a devastating human impact with five lives lost during this event, but also a significant environmental impact and of course, a significant economic impact as well."