Attorney-General
Minister for Emergency Management
Special Minister of State
Minister for the Public Service and Integrity
The Hon Mark Dreyfus QC MP
Deputy Premier of Victoria
Minister for Regional and Rural Development
The Hon Peter Ryan MP
Joint Media Release
Additional Disaster Assistance for Victorian farmers
Attorney-General and Minister for Emergency Management Mark Dreyfus QC and Victorian Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan today announced additional assistance for farmers hit by severe weather events in Victoria in December 2011, February-March 2012 and June 2012.
Category C Grants of up to $10,000 will be made available to eligible primary producers in those areas of Victoria most impacted under the jointly funded Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).
"These grants will be in addition to the concessional interest rate loans already available to farmers under the NDRRA," Mr Dreyfus said.
"This much-needed assistance will provide a boost to our farming sector already facing the long road back to recovery following these devastating events," Mr Ryan said.
Grants of up to $10,000 will be made available to eligible primary producers affected by the following severe weather events:
- December 2011 storms and floods - highest impacted areas in the shires of Ararat, Northern Grampians and Pyrenees.
- February-March 2012 storms and floods - highest impacted areas in the shires of Campaspe, Wangaratta and Greater Bendigo.
- June 2012 storms and floods - highest impacted areas in the shires of East Gippsland, Latrobe, South Gippsland and Wellington.
In addition, the Commonwealth and Victorian governments are also making available concessional low interest loans of up to $200,000 to primary producers affected by the December 2011 event in the most impacted areas of Ararat, Northern Grampians and Pyrenees.
The Commonwealth and Victorian governments remain committed to supporting the recovery of communities affected by natural disasters.
Further information on the Category C grants for primary producers, including eligibility, is available on the Rural Finance Corporation of Victoria website.
Further information on Australian Government assistance is available at www.disasterassist.gov.au.
FRIDAY, 5 JULY 2013
