FINALLY: Face to face grant application meetings in Casino

Susanna Freymark

Most people have said applying for flood recovery grants is not easy.

The story about Kerz Lake highlighted what many of those impacted by the floods are going through. They have tried desperately to meet the criteria but for many, including businesses the hoops are huge.

The petrol station in Broadwater didn’t get a business recovery grant, nor did the bakery in Woodburn.

In the past weeks the Resilience NSW and Service NSW staff have been on the ground helping people apply for these grants.

The Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke has started calling them grants blitz teams.

While it is a good thing that residents can speak face to face with staff, it has taken a long time to get to this point.

Three months out from the floods, residents can now meet directly with Resilience NSW and Service NSW staff at the Casino Golf Club between Wednesday, June 15 to Friday, June 17

Ms Cooke said the sessions held in Lismore since Monday have resulted in the approval of more than 175 grants applications totalling $2.1 million.

Flood-affected individuals and business owners can book a 45-minute appointment by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88.

Appointments will be held from Wednesday, 15 to Friday, 17 June at:

Casino Golf Club, West Street, Casino

Southern Cross University, Military Road, East Lismore

There is an online eligibility checker with a list of grants applicable to business owners.

Information

As a media organisation we have asked Resilience NSW, Service NSW and the minister for information on Back Home grants, business grants and temporary housing measures.

The information from these organisations has been slow to come. We have asked many times about temporary housing and when caravans will be delivered so people can live at the homes while they repair them

So far, there is some temporary housing at Evans Head and the Casino Showgrounds, but much more is needed.

Information about the temporary housing, how much it costs and how people are selected for temporary housing needs to be made available.

People have suffered so much from the floods and in the long recovery the community faces, information gives people some certainty about the road ahead.