To get it, you must meet all of the following. You:
- were 16 or older at the time of the floods
- are an Australian resident or hold an eligible visa
- work or live in a declared Local Government Area
- lost some or all of your income as a direct result of the floods
- earn less than the average Australian weekly income in the weeks after this income loss.
You don’t need to have lost all your income to be eligible for this payment.
We use Australian Bureau of Statistics figures to work out the average weekly income. The average rate we’ll use if your income was affected:
- before 1 January 2023 is $1,737.10 per week
- from 1 January 2023 is $1,769.80 per week.
If you’re part of a couple, you can both claim this payment. You and your partner will need to make separate claims.
If you’re aged between 16 and 21
If you’re between 16 and 21, we must consider you to be independent to get this payment.
We’ll look at all of the following:
- your income
- your personal circumstances
- if you’re dependent on anyone, such as an adult who has legal responsibility for your care and provides financial assistance.
When you can’t get this payment
You can’t get DRA if you get any of the following payments during your claim period:
- an income support payment or pension
- Parental Leave Pay
- Dad and Partner Pay
- ABSTUDY Living Allowance
- Farm Household Allowance
- a Service Pension from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs
- Self-Employment Allowance.
Read more about:
- Service Pensions on the Department of Veterans’ Affairs website
- Self-Employment Assistance on the Workforce Australia website.