These guidelines relate to the Personal Hardship Assistance, Tropical Cyclone Alfred, March 2025 grant (the Grant).
Introduction
1.1 The NSW and Australian Governments are offering emergency financial assistance to certain people impacted from 3 March 2025 by disaster event AGRN 1198, otherwise known as Tropical Cyclone Alfred (Disaster Event).
1.2 The Program provides emergency financial assistance to support people to meet essential needs due to power outages in effect for 48 hours or more, or government Evacuation Orders (category red emergency warning), as a result of the Disaster Event. Eligibility is limited to those impacted by power outages and/or evacuation orders within a Local Government Areas (LGA) listed under the Natural Disaster Declaration (NDD) for AGRN 1198. At the time of publishing the LGA’s covered under the NDD include; Armidale, Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Glenn Innes Severn, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Lord Howe Island, MidCoast, Nambucca Valley, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond Valley, Tenterfield and Tweed (Impacted Region).
1.3 Service NSW is the administering Agency, and NSW Reconstruction Authority is the Policy Owner.
1.4 The Program is administered in accordance with the requirements of the NSW Grants Administration Guide and the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and is a joint initiative between the Australian and NSW Governments.
Purpose and Objectives
2.1 The purpose of the Program is to provide emergency financial assistance to help eligible individuals impacted by the Disaster Event meet their needs for food, medication, clothing, temporary accommodation and other essential needs.
Available Funding
3.1 Payments of:
- $180 per Eligible Individual; and
- $180 per Dependent, up to a maximum of four Dependents,
will be made.
Eligibility Criteria
4.1 To be eligible, an applicant must:
- be aged 18 or over on 3 March 2025;
- reside at an address situated in the Impacted Region on 3 March 2025;
- be impacted by power outages in effect for more than 48 hours or government evacuation orders, caused by the Disaster Event;
- as a result of the Disaster Event, require emergency financial assistance to meet their own Immediate Needs and those of any Dependents included in their application; and
- must not be residing at an address concerning land which has been acquired by the NSW Government under a buy-back scheme.
Administrative Arrangements
5.1 Timeframes and Key Dates
- Applications for the Program will be accepted from 10am on 12 March 2025.
- Applications will close at 11:59pm on 8 April 2025.
5.2 Application Process and Requirements
- Applications must be submitted:
- online via the Service NSW website or Service NSW mobile app using a MyServiceNSW Account belonging to the applicant; or
- in person at a Service NSW Centre, Mobile Service Centre or any other centre that is authorised to receive applications, for example a Recovery Assistance Point.
- For Eligible Household applications:
- the Eligible Individual must include:
- themselves, as the Eligible Individual; and
- up to four Dependents; and
- any additional Eligible Individuals residing in the same Eligible Household should submit a separate application; and
- the same Dependent(s) must not be included in more than one application.
- the Eligible Individual must include:
NOTE: Applicants must fully complete the application, including any documentation which may be required to be submitted during the application. Applicants may be requested by Service NSW, Revenue NSW or their service providers to provide additional information when assessing the application.
5.3 Evidentiary Requirements
- Applicants:
- must provide their personal contact details (including their name, email and mobile phone number);
- must provide proof of identity document which includes their full name and date of birth;
- must provide their Australian bank account details for payment; and
- provide evidence they reside at an address in the Impacted Region, which may include:
- utility bill issued between 3 September 2024 and 3 March 2025;
- council rates notice issued between 3 September 2024 and 3 March 2025
- copy of residential tenancy agreement current as of 3 March 2025;
- vehicle registration notice issued between 3 March 2024 and 3 March 2025;
- letter from Centrelink, Medicare, Service NSW, Transport for NSW, Australian Taxation Office, or other government agency issued between issued between 3 September 2024 and 3 March 2025;
- Pensioner Concession card, Health Care card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Care card current as of 3 March 2025;
- any other evidence the applicant believes supports their proof of residency on 3 March 2025, to be accepted at the discretion of Service NSW, Revenue NSW or their service providers; and
- may be asked to provide evidence of impact due to a power outage lasting 48 hours or more, or a government evacuation order as a result of the Disaster Event, such as:
- correspondence from the relevant energy provider confirming the power outage;
- correspondence from the State Emergency Services or other authorised agency regarding the evacuation order; and
- photographs showing damage related to the Disaster Event.
- Applicants applying on behalf of an Eligible Household must:
- meet the requirements stipulated in clause 5.3(a); and
- provide the names, Medicare numbers and Medicare details of all and Dependents included in the application.
Note: If you’re not able to provide any of these documents we’re here to help. Please call Service NSW on 13 77 88 for assistance and guidance on the next steps.
5.4 Applicants must declare the information provided in the application is true and correct. Penalties may apply for false or misleading information. Where Service NSW suspects that false or misleading information has been provided, applicants may be contacted and requested to provide further information, and applications may be referred to law enforcement.
5.5 Applicants must retain and provide on request, for a minimum of five years following the closing of the program, all documentation and evidence related to eligibility and the application requirements outlined in these guidelines.
5.6 Support in making an application can be provided by contacting Service NSW on 13 77 88, or by visiting a Service NSW Service Centre, Mobile Service Centre or any other centre that is authorised to receive applications, for example a Recovery Assistance Point.
Assessment, Approval Process and Decision Makers
6.1 Service NSW, Revenue NSW or their service providers will process applications in the order in which they are received. If needed, applicants can save their applications and return to complete them when they have all the necessary documentation ready to upload with their application.
6.2 Service NSW may request further information as necessary to assess an application. Failure to respond to such a request, may lead to an application being declined.
6.3 Service NSW or its agents may conduct site visits to help assess the applicant’s eligibility and conduct compliance activities. For example, to assess that a dwelling is situated on a residential lot as per the application.
6.4 Service NSW reserves the right to refuse an application where the eligibility criteria are not met, or where the applicant does not or cannot provide sufficient information to determine if eligibility criteria have been met.
6.5 Applications submitted may be subject to compliance audit activities by Service NSW, Revenue NSW or their service providers, to determine compliance with these Program guidelines and Program terms and conditions.
6.6 The Executive Director, NSW Reconstruction Authority, is the designated decision-maker. The decision-maker is responsible for making determinations regarding eligibility criteria and policy intent. This includes approving program-wide policies and processes for assessment, risk management, quality assurance and auditing, and escalation of any compliance issues.
Disputes and Complaints
7.1 Applicants are entitled to dispute the assessment outcome of the application by requesting an internal review of the assessment. Disputes can be lodged via the Service NSW website, in person at a Service NSW centre or by contacting Service NSW on 13 77 88.
7.2 Applications for an internal review of the assessment outcome must be made within 28 calendar days of being notified of the outcome. Disputes lodged after this time may not be accepted by Service NSW.
7.3 The internal review will be conducted by a separate Service NSW team who will review the application against the eligibility criteria, including any new evidence that the applicant may provide.
7.4 Applicants may also lodge complaints via the Service NSW website, in person at a Service NSW centre or by contacting Service NSW on 13 77 88. Service NSW will manage complaints in accordance with the Service NSW Complaints Handling Policy.
Important Information
8.1 These Program guidelines are correct at the time of publishing.
8.2 The Reconstruction Authority and Service NSW reserve the right to amend, alter or change these Program guidelines at any time, and it is the responsibility of the applicant to check the guidelines on the Service NSW website prior to application. All iterations of the Program guidelines and the dates of publication will be available on the Service NSW website.
8.3 The Program guidelines that apply to an application will be the Program guidelines current at the time the application is assessed by Service NSW.
8.4 Service NSW and the NSW Reconstruction Authority may share applicant information with other NSW Government agencies, in accordance with the privacy collection notice, including:
- De-identified disclosure of program statistics on Tableau. This is disclosed to NSW Treasury, NSW Reconstruction Authority, NSW Public Works, Department of Communities and Justice, the Audit Office of NSW, Revenue NSW, the Cabinet Office, the National Emergency Management Agency – Cth, Services Australia – Cth, and the Department of Customer Service (DCS) for the purpose of analysis and research.
- Identified disclosure of suspected cases of fraud to the NSW Police as a part of Service NSW’s obligations under the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).
- Disclosure of personal information to Revenue NSW if Service NSW has reasons to believe a contravention of Program guidelines and/or terms and conditions has taken place, so that payments may be recovered.
8.5 Funding used other than in accordance with this guideline and the terms and conditions will be repayable on demand.
Evaluation
9.1 The NSW Reconstruction Authority may carry out an evaluation of the program. This may include carrying out surveys. Service NSW or the NSW Reconstruction Authority or their service providers may contact you to ask you about your experience with the assistance you received.
9.2 Service NSW and the NSW Reconstruction Authority will treat survey responses as confidential and use the information only for the purposes for which it was collected.
Definitions
10.1 Terms or expressions starting with a capital letter have the meaning given in section 10.2.
10.2 Defined Terms
Administering Agency means the agency, department or body responsible for assessing and administering the Program.
Dependent means a person under the age of 18 on 3 March 2025, who resides with an Eligible Individual and is financially dependent on them.
Disaster Event has the meaning given in clause 1.1.
Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements means the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements 2018 through which the Australian Government provides financial assistance to support state governments with disaster recovery costs. Eligible costs include assistance measures for individuals and families, businesses, primary producers, non-profit organisations and local and state governments.
Eligible Household means a household comprising at least one Eligible Individual and at least one Dependent.
Eligible Individual means a person aged 18 or over on 3 March 2025, who meets the eligibility criteria in clause 4.1.
Grants Administration Guide means the Grants Administration Guide mandated by the NSW Government, which provides an overview of the grants administration process, overarching principles that apply to all NSW Government grants, and mandatory requirements that must be complied with when administering grants.
Immediate Needs refers to essential and urgent requirements such as food, clothing, personal items and accommodation.
Impacted Region has the meaning given in clause 1.2.
Policy Owner means the agency responsible for the grant design including overseeing development and approval of the eligibility criteria, assessment and compliance methodologies, and grant evaluation.
Program means this grant, otherwise known as Personal Hardship Assistance, Tropical Cyclone Alfred, March 2025.