People in the Aboriginal communities of Beswick\/Wulugarr, Jilkminggan, Daly River\/ Naiuyu and Palumpa will now also have access to the same supports announced earlier for people in nearby Katherine.<\/p>\n
See below for everything we know so far.<\/p>\n
One important note \u2014 “appropriate evidence” is needed for the larger payments, so don’t forget to take photos or footage of any damage if you can.<\/p>\n
What is available?<\/p>\n
The same disaster assistance payments announced for Katherine residents in recent days are being expanded to include other locations.<\/p>\n
Eligible residents will be able to access:<\/p>\n
Immediate relief payments of up to $611 per adult and $309 per child, capped at $1,537 per family, to help with “personal hardship” as a result of the flooding.Temporary accommodation assistance of up to $1,160 per family.Re-establishment assistance of up to $8,843 per household to spend on the replacement of essential items like whitegoods, furniture, bedding and basic household goods.<\/p>\n
The temporary accommodation and re-establishment payments are means-tested and there are limits on claims for the re-establishment help.<\/p>\n
The payments are jointly funded by the Northern Territory and federal governments.<\/p>\n
Who is eligible?<\/p>\n
Let’s start with the immediate relief payments.<\/p>\n
“All residents” in Katherine, Beswick\/Wugularr and Jilkminggan affected by floods are eligible for immediate relief payments, according to Secure NT<\/a>.<\/p>\n That includes people who live in the area for work, even if they live permanently elsewhere.<\/p>\n In a statement on Thursday afternoon, the NT government also said residents of Palumpa and Daly River\/Naiuyu, which were both fully evacuated to Darwin on the weekend, were now eligible for payments.\u00a0<\/p>\n For Litchfield and Coomalie LGA residents “directly affected by floods”, the eligibility criteria for immediate assistance payments is yet to be updated on the Secure NT website<\/a>.<\/p>\n The temporary accommodation assistance payments are means-tested.<\/p>\n The following income thresholds apply:<\/p>\n Personal hardship and distress means testGross income thresholdSingle adult \u2013 no children$65,189Single adult \u2013 with children$84,1892 Adults \u2013 no children (joint income)$103,1892 Adults \u2013 with children (joint income)$122,190<\/p>\n The eligibility criteria for re-establishment assistance is not clear.<\/p>\n In both regions, Secure NT says “eligibility assessment and payment options will be finalised once damage assessments can be completed”.<\/p>\n How do I access the payments?<\/p>\n This varies by location but mostly has to be done in person, for now.<\/p>\n No information is available for Litchfield and Coomalie shires, Wulugarr\/Beswick, Palumpa or Daly River\/Naiuyu residents on the Secure NT website yet.<\/p>\n However, the government statement said for Litchfield and Coomalie LGA residents, recovery payments would be confirmed once household impact surveys were undertaken.<\/p>\n ‘We’ve lost everything’: Sudden flooding at Darwin River shocks residents<\/a><\/p>\n People have had to be rescued from croc-inhabited waters and some have lost everything following flooding in Darwin River.<\/p>\n For Jilkminggan residents, payments will be made at the evacuation centre in Mataranka, and will start to be issued from March 17.<\/p>\n As for Katherine, the government is trying to prioritise the worst-affected households first.<\/p>\n There have been long queues for help in the last two days, with some residents telling the ABC they have been turned away<\/a> after spending hours waiting.<\/p>\n Most of the payments are only available in person at the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre on the Stuart Highway.<\/p>\n A flood-related sewage problem prevented the centre opening on Thursday morning but it was open in the afternoon.<\/p>\n Floodwaters almost up to the roof of a car in Beswick.\u00a0 (Supplied)<\/p>\n The top priority is anyone whose home has been inundated or who is staying at an evacuation centre.<\/p>\n![\"Floodwaters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/df770e2682f99d19898c7ce0e09eec91.jpeg\")
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