Second Federal Government Payment of $92m for Vic Flood Recovery

Added by James Morley on February 25, 2011

A second federal government flood payment will be sent to Victorian council amounting $92m, according to the Regional Development Minister Simon Crean.

The second financial assistance comes after the Victorian state government requested it following the summer floods.

The Regional Development Minister stated today that federal flood payment “has been brought forward by more than two-and-a-half months”. He added that, until now, an overall amount of $184m have been made available, as the first early payment has been made at the end of January.

Mr Crean stated that the payments to Victorian councils are meant to aid with “immediate needs” related to early recovery and clean-up after summer floods. At the beginning of this month, the federal government has committed that it will aid Victorian flood recovery with $500m.

The announcement of the second $92m payment comes after Joe Ludwig, the Minister for Agriculture, said that the drought relief assistance in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales have come to an end.

The National Rural Advisory Council suggested the Ministry of Agriculture to end drought payments to the above-mentioned regions. According to Mr Ludwig, the advice of the council will be followed and drought payments will be finished in one area of South Australia, five in Victoria and 14 areas in New South Wales.