Riverina LGAs added to Natural Disaster Declaration following flood events

Riverina mayors have welcomed the declaration, which they say will help clean up and repair the region's roads following widespread flooding.

Wagga, Albury, Berrigan, Carrathool, Cobar, Federation, Griffith, Hay, Leeton, Murray River, Murrumbidgee and Narrandera are now among the 43 local government areas subject to natural disaster declarations, emergency services minister Steph Cooke and federal emergency management minister Murray Watt announced on Sunday.

Assistance will be available for local councils, small businesses, primary producers, non-profit organisations and eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged across the Riverina.

Leeton deputy mayor Michael Kidd said the relief will enable the clean up and restoration of several roads and thoroughfares currently flooded in the Leeton shire as well as offer help to farmers.

"The flooding is mainly in the southern part of the Leeton shire, to the south of Yanco at Euroley and then across the river along a portion of the Sturt Highway that runs through our shire," Cr Kidd said.

"Several roads there have been closed for some time now and with water running over them it causes quite a lot of damage.

"We're very happy to receive relief because we will have to have many roads reformed."

It's not just the roads in need of relief, with the floodwaters also causing damage to several crops in the Leeton Shire.

"I know a lot of those crops have been water damaged, I don't think there will be too many crops that aren't damaged to some extent."

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While the relief comes as good news for parts of the Riverina, other LGAs hard-hit by floods are hoping for another extension which will include them.

Temora mayor Rick Firman said while there are other Riverina LGAs in more need of disaster relief than his, he is hoping Temora will receive similar attention in the future.

Similarly, Cr Firman would use the relief to address the current state of the roads across his shire.

"We're already looking at between $4 and $6.5 million dollars worth of damage since rain events from last year," he said.

"It's like an obstacle course, with potholes everywhere. When you fill in the potholes more rain comes and it doesn't work, it's so very frustrating."

Cr Firman said the Riverina federal MP Michael McCormack and Ms Cooke have done everything possible to help.

"At the end of the day, we have to get our piece of the pie and so do other areas across the Riverina," he said.

Mr Watt said damage to areas within the LGAs had been significant and the relief will enable councils to rebuild essential infrastructure and get recovery operations under way as soon as possible.

Ms Cooke said they are continuing to assess the impacts of the flood event with disaster declarations like this, "the crucial first step in unlocking assistance for those in need."

"The flooding we are seeing across large parts of inland NSW is ongoing, slow-moving and widespread which is making it challenging to assess the damage and impact," she said.

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government's Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au.

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