Am I eligible for Flood Recovery Assistance?
The South Australian Government has announced a number of grants to assist South Australians impacted by the Murray River flood. Assistance is mainly aimed at businesses and primary producers while there are also some grants available for individuals.
Assistance for Businesses
Turnover Reduction
Businesses and non-profit organisations who havent received or been approved for an Early Business Closure Grant may be eligible for a $10,000 grant if their business operates in the defined disaster area and has experienced a downturn of 30% or more in revenue as a result of the flood disaster. The 30% reduction in revenue is measured by comparing revenue for the December 2022 quarter with the December 2021 quarter or the March 2023 quarter with the March 2022 quarter. This will usually be based on Business Acitivity Statements lodged for those periods. To be eligible the business must also have less than 30 full-time employees (or full-time equivalent employees) and have had more than $10,000 in revenue in the comparison quarter (Dec 21 or Mar 22).
The defined disaster area means the following Local Government Areas:
- Alexandrina
- Berri Barmera
- Coorong
- Karoonda East Murray
- Loxton Waikerie
- Mid Murray
- Murray Bridge
- Renmark Paringa
- Pastoral Unincorporated Area
For more information or to apply for the grant please click here.
If your business was forced to close prior to the date set by the department in regard to wider flooding, you may be eligible for a grant of up to $20,000 instead of the above grant. More information can be found at this link.
Recovery Grant
Businesses and non-profit organisations with less than 30 full-time equivalent employees, who have sufferred damage from the flood are eligible for up to $50,000 to reimburse the costs of reinstatement and clean up. Farm enterprises are not eligible for this grant as they are eligible for a different grant described later in this article. Some of the costs eligible for reimbursement include the following:
- Purchasing or leasing equipment or materials that are essential for immediately resuming operation of the business
- Employing a person to clean affected property or equipment, if the cost wouldn’t ordinarily have been incurred
- Removing and disposing of debris, damaged materials or spoiled stock
- Repairing a building or replacing fittings for resuming the operation of a business
- Replacing lost or damaged stock
- Leasing temporary premises for up to 12 months
Costs are not eligible for reimbursement if the amount could be recovered under an insurance policy or has already been fully funded by another grant or donations. A business is not eligible under this grant if the business has ceased and will not restart.
It is currently intended that applications will need to be lodged within six months. For more information or to apply for the grant please click here.
There are also grants for levee construction and remediation or purchasing a generator for businesses disconnected from the electricity network.
Primary Producers
If you run a primary production business that is responsible for at least 50% of your income and you intend to re-establish your business after the floods, you may be eligible for a grant of up to $75,000 on similar terms to the recovery grant above. Some costs, in addition ot the costs mentioned above that could be claimed by a primary producer include fodder to feed stock, replacing dead stock, repairing or restoring fields and repairing or replacing fencing. Costs incurred in repairing a dwelling are not eligible. For more information or to make a claim please click here.
Primary producers may also be eligible for a grant of up to $25,000 for the costs of re-locating or re-establishing irrigation infrastructure and/or alternative power sources.For more information or to make a claim please click here
Primary producers may also be eligible for the $10,000 grant for a drop in turnover of 30% as described earlier in this article.
Individuals
Individuals who have lost work as a result of the floods may be eligible for the Federal Government’s Disaster Recovery Payment. This payment is the equivalent amount of the JobSeeker payment and is only available for up to 13 weeks.
One off assistance of $400 for a person living alone or $1,000 for a family where they have been forced to leave their homes is also available.
Rental assistance for people who are not insured, have been displaced by floodwaters and don’t have access to alternative accomodation is available for up to $2,000 for singles and $5,000 for families.
Another grant is up to $500 to put toward purchasing a generator for homes disconnected from the electricity network.
Finally there are one off payments of $300 for pensioners, concession card holders and other low-income earners who live in River Murray communities and are incurring significantly higher travel costs due to flooding. This includes Seniors Card holders, JobSeekers and recipients of Family Tax Benefits. Significant additional travel is at least 30 minutes or more, 3 times a week.
For more information please click here.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or struggling to cope, there is also free counselling available by calling 1300 032 186. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week during the crisis.