Financial support for primary producers and businesses

Clean-up and Restoration Grants

Primary producers, small businesses and not-for-profit organisations in the Victorian Shires of Indigo, Greater Shepparton, Moira and Towong, who suffered direct damage as a result of floods between late February and early March 2012 may apply for a clean-up and restoration grant of up to $25,000.

The grants are designed to assist primary producers, small businesses and not-for-profit organisations to resume trading as soon as possible by funding clean-up activities, replacement of damaged equipment, stock and other general repairs.

Visit the Department of Treasury and Finance website for more information.

Concessional Loans

Low interest concessional loans of up to $200,000 are available to eligible primary producers, small businesses and not-for-profit organisations in 20 Local Government Areas, whose properties suffered direct damage as a result of floods between late February and early March 2012.

The 20 LGAs affected by the floods where access to the low-interest loans is available are Alpine, Ballarat, Benalla, Campaspe, East Gippsland, Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Indigo, Macedon Ranges, Mansfield, Mildura, Mitchell, Moira, Mount Alexander, Murrindindi, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Whittlesea and Wodonga.

This additional funding will give an important boost to eligible small to medium businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations affected by the floods.

For more information visit the Rural Finance website.

Australian Taxation Office: taxation assistance

Provides help for primary producers and small businesses in disaster-affected areas in a range of ways, including fast-tracking refunds, giving people extra time to pay debts or meet lodgement obligations. They can also help reconstruct tax records where documents have been destroyed. A flood levy exemption is also available for impacted communities.

For more information call the dedicated emergency support information line on 1800 806 218.

Department of Primary Industries

Provides a range of assistance to farmers and other primary producers, including support to help coordinate recovery.

For more information visit the Department of Primary Industries website or call 136 186.

Personal Hardship Assistance Program

The Department of Human Services (DHS) administers the Victorian Government’s Personal Hardship Assistance Program (PHAP), which includes two categories of assistance:

• Emergency Relief Assistance - no longer available for this event
• Emergency Re-establishment Assistance - still available for this event

The PHA program provides financial assistance to alleviate the personal hardship and distress suffered by eligible Victorians, as a result of an emergency.

Details available from the Department of Human Services website.

Victorian Farmers Federation

Under its Farm Assist program, the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) provides advice and information on a range of initiatives designed to support farmers and farming communities.

Further details available by calling the VFF on 1300 88 28 33 or viewing their website at:
www.vff.org.au

Other financial assistance

We will publish details of other assistance programs on this web site as they are announced.