THE federal and state governments have included the Shire of Gingin on a list of local governments they say were affected by former tropical cyclone Joyce.
But a Shire of Gingin spokeswoman told Yanchep News Online on Thursday, January 25 the shire was not affected by the former cyclone.
A spokesman for Emergency Services Minister Francis Logan said he would get the information checked but it was possible the shire may have been included if there was damage to roads, which were the responsibility of Main Roads WA and not the Shire of Gingin.
On Tuesday, January 23 federal Law Enforcement and Cybersecurity Minister Angus Taylor and Mr Logan announced disaster assistance for 12 local government areas in the wake of tropical cyclone Joyce.
Mr Taylor said assistance was being provided through the jointly-funded commonwealth-state Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).
He said a range of assistance was now available to support eligible people, small businesses and primary producers in the local government areas of Broome, Cunderdin, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Gingin, Moora, Northam, Quairading, Upper Gascoyne, Victoria Plains, Wongan Ballidu and York.
Mr Logan said the Australian and Western Australian governments recognised the importance of acting quickly to help communities.
“Some of these areas were also affected by tropical cyclone Hilda in late December 2017, so they have been hit twice in just a few weeks,” he said.
Assistance available under the NDRRA may include personal hardship and distress assistance for affected individuals and families and financial support for affected local governments and state agencies to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets.
NDRRA assistance can also include interest rate subsidies for small businesses and primary producers and freight subsidies for primary producers.
The assistance available is divided into categories.
For more information visit: www.oem.wa.gov.au/funding/wandrra
People suffering personal hardship and distress as a result of tropical cyclone Joyce should call the disaster response hotline on 1800 032 965.
Information on disaster assistance available for natural disasters can be found on the Australian Government’s website at www.disasterassist.gov.au
