HARD-HIT towns like Singleton, Maitland and Lake Macquarie will now be eligible for flood assistance payments as the federal government widens its net to six more local government areas.
The communities, which have scrambled to save stock and bolster businesses amid rising floodwaters were not included in the original 23 local government areas covered by the scheme.
Eligible flood-affected locals in Singleton, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Bayside, Dungog and Upper Lachlan will have access to a one-off $1000 payment per adult from 2pm today, after Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison and Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell pushed to see their communities receive a fair share.
The NSW SES put 3000 sandbags on the levy at Maitland yesterday and the river is forecast to reach 10.7m, not far off the 11m evacuation trigger, Ms Aitchison said.
"It's quite stressful right now, we're in constant contact with the minister's office about warnings, we have a lot of people isolated not just in Gillieston Heights," she said.
"There's a lot of people who are missing work at the moment who rely on casual income or overtime payments so hopefully that extra cash will help.
"The situation is evolving rapidly."
Ms Aitchison said Maitland communities were still recovering from the March floods and she expects the damage bill will be "massive".
Upper Hunter MP Dave Layzell said the announcement will trigger the release of a whole slew of grants to help people in Singleton get back on their feet.
"The important thing here is there is a whole bunch of people affected by the flood who will be devastated and there's no amount of money to help them get over the mental anguish," he said.
"But, this will help a number of individuals get food back in the fridge and houses cleaned up.
"The councils have seen infrastructure damage and this allows them to get more money into the infrastructure and start fixing it for communities and for businesses to claim money going forward to get up and going after a loss of income."
It brings the total number of disaster-declared LGA's up to 29.
Under the grants, assistance is available for people who's homes or belongings have been damaged, support for local councils, concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profits as well as freight subsidies for primary producers.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin said the natural disaster declaration means that funding and support is available.
"This means assistance is available to people whose homes or essential household items have been destroyed or damaged, and for business owners and primary producers who have suffered direct damage," Mr Martin said.
"Assistance is also available to Maitland City Council and Lake Macquarie City Council to restore essential public assets like local roads.
"I am urging any local homeowner, business owner or primary producer that suffered direct damage from the severe weather and floods to apply for the funding and support which is now on offer."
Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the severe weather and flooding will continue to impact many areas of NSW with flood evacuation orders still in place.
"The flood waters may be receding in some areas, but we know there are other regions that are still at the emergency stafe, where the focus will be on keeping our communities safe," he said.
"The Australian and NSW governments have worked cooperatively through this latest flood emergency and we're now working hard together to make sure that impacted communities get the financial and other assistance they need as soon as possible."
The news comes as an Australian Defence Force helicopter was put on standby near the Hunter River at Singleton, which has faced serious hardships as a result of the floods.
Three ADF helicopters are mobilised, while no additional troops are currently headed to NSW to assist with the emergency situation.
"As I understand it, (no helicopters) were required last night but there is now one that's stationed in the Hunter and available for use," Senator Watt told Sky News.
"We've got 250 troops that have been activated and made available to the NSW government, basically to help supplement the SES but we have indicated repeatedly ... if they feel they need more assistance, then we'd obviously consider that."
