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AAP
AAP
National
Jack Gramenz

Rebuild grants promised for flood victims

Flood victims will be offered another grant to assist with rebuilding their homes as the NSW government flags scrutiny of planning decisions to build in disaster prone areas.

Parts of northern NSW have been hit with repeated floods in recent weeks, destroying homes and businesses and hampering efforts to clean up.

Housing remains a priority, with hundreds of people still in emergency accommodation and others staying with friends and family.

NSW Police deputy commissioner and northern NSW flood recovery co-ordinator Mal Lanyon said displaced people should register with ServiceNSW to help the government understand the assistance required.

The return of flooding in Lismore last week was another setback the community did not need, Mr Lanyon told ABC on Monday.

"But they are a strong community up here, they've got past this before," Mr Lanyon said.

He said it was important the community understands the government support available to rebuild flood hit areas, which could take years.

NSW has established 17 flood recovery centres where residents can find support and make applications however a number are currently close due to the return of severe weather.

Evacuation orders are in place around northern NSW in parts of Lismore, Coraki, Broadwater, Wardell, Cabbage Tree Island, Bungawalbyn, Woodburn and Swan Bay.

Thousands of ADF personnel remain in the region, assisting the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service.

Following criticism about the speed ADF personnel were deployed when flooding began in February, the federal government has on Monday announced a boost to "deployable infrastructure".

"This investment will significantly upgrade capability and enhance the ADF's ability to deploy rapidly on a wide range of operations, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts," Defence Minister Peter Dutton said.

Premier Dominic Perrottet and Deputy Premier Paul Toole are touring Lismore on Monday, where they will announce further details on grant packages to assist with rebuilding and refitting homes.

"This is about assisting those families that have absolutely lost everything," Mr Toole told Nine's Today program on Monday morning.

The grants are planned to assist people paying for things like new carpeting, electrical wiring and plaster repairs to flood-hit homes as well as appliances like fridges and washing machines.

Mr Toole said an inquiry into the floods due to report to the premier by the end of June will also examine planning decisions for disaster-prone areas, including potential relocations.

Further announcements will wait until after the inquiry has reported.

The Daily Telegraph reports the new grants will provide $15,000 for home owners to repair and $5000 for renters to replace furniture and appliances.

The grants will be available for uninsured properties where homes have been assessed as damaged, destroyed or uninhabitable by the SES, but will not be available for those who have already received disaster relief grants.

Eight local government areas, primarily in northern NSW as well as residents in the Hawkesbury region in western Sydney will be eligible.

Wild weather continued around the state with damaging coastal conditions hammering beaches on the weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting further rain and damaging weather around NSW as the week continues.

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