Tens of thousands of flood-affected Victorians are now eligible for additional emergency assistance.
The federal and state governments unveiled wider relief payment eligibility and $150 million in flood clean-up assistance in a joint statement this afternoon.
Victorians whose properties were destroyed or damaged in the floods can have their properties cleared of hazards at no cost,the statement said.
Emergency re-establishment payments have also been activated,providing up to $43,850 for households without flood insurance,facing financial hardship,whose homes have been damaged or destroyed to help pay for clean-up,emergency accommodation,repairs,rebuilding and replacing essential household items.
These grants are for residents whose homes are uninhabitable for more than a week.
About 50,000 homes,14 hospitals and 300 schools and early childhood facilities have been identified within flood impacted areas in Victoria to date and these numbers are expected to grow,the statement said.
The federal government’s one-off,non-means tested Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children has now also been made available to people who live in the local government areas of Benalla,Boroondara,Central Goldfields,Greater Bendigo,Loddon,Moonee Valley,Mount Alexander,Murrindindi and Yarra Ranges.
That assistance was already available for those in Campaspe,Greater Shepparton,Maribyrnong,Mitchell and Strathbogie.
The statement said eligibility could be expanded to more areas as the flood situation evolved.