The NSW government has reactivated a specialist support group to co-ordinate council-to-council assistance for flood-affected councils and communities. 

The Local Government Emergency Recovery Support Group helped ensure offers of help from non-bushfire affected councils reached communities devastated by the bushfires in 2019-20. 

“As the devastation of the weekend’s deluge becomes clear, this support group will help co-ordinate council-to-council assistance to communities devastated by flooding,” Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock said in a statement on Tuesday. 

“The 2019-20 bushfires were an example of the spirit of generosity in the local government sector, with non-affected councils coming forward in their droves to help communities in need.”

Thirty-four local government areas have been declared natural disaster areas from the flooding.

“I am once again calling on councils in a position to help communities in need to come forward,” Ms Hancock said.

“Likewise, I am also calling on those flood-affected councils who need help to come forward and register their needs. 

“We can then match these calls for help with councils in a position to offer assistance and get council staff and equipment on the ground in flood-affected communities.”

Ms Hancock said affected communities are likely to need help with debris and food waste removal, removal of mud from homes, street sweeping, road and fencing repairs, cleaning up parks and sporting grounds, and management of stock on roads. 

“I have no doubt that councils will rally behind other councils as we respond to and recover from these devastating floods,” she said.

 Councils requiring help and councils in a position to offer assistance can contact the Local Government Emergency Recovery Support Group on recovery@olg.nsw.gov.au. 

Office of Local Government Council Engagement Managers are also in the process of contacting flood-affected councils to determine what is needed.

Disaster declarations have been issued for the following local government areas in collaboration with the Commonwealth:

Armidale, Bellingen, Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury Bankstown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Cumberland, Dungog, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Inner West, Kempsey, Ku-ring-gai, Lake Macquarie, Liverpool, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Nambucca Valley, Newcastle, Northern Beaches, Parramatta, Penrith, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Port Stephens, Sutherland, Tenterfield Blacktown, The Hills and Wollondilly.