Maitland flood 2022: Call for Port Stephens LGA to receive a natural disaster declaration

Roads are cut. Infrastructure has been damaged. Farmland has been inundated and hay bales are floating in a sea that was once fertile and productive.

And yet the Port Stephens Local Government Area has not been declared a natural disaster area.

Fifty-eight LGAs across NSW have been declared natural disaster areas as a result of severe weather since February 22.

Maitland, Cessnock, Dungog, Singleton, Newcastle, the Central Coast and the MidCoast local government areas were among those that received the declaration last week.

Port Stephens had the same weather system hit it - and the same Hunter River caused havoc Maitland and Port Stephens, and yet it was overlooked.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington cannot understand why the NSW Government has treated the Port Stephens LGA differently from its Hunter cousins.

She confirmed that Port Stephens Council had submitted an application to be considered for the declaration.

She spoke to NSW Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience, and Minister for Flood Recovery, Steph Cooke on Saturday and urged her to include the LGA - even though extensive damage assessments are not possible due to the level of flooding that remains.

"We have a number of roads that are underwater. We have the whole town of Hinton that is surrounded by flood waters ... We have significant infrastructure underwater," she said.

"It's obvious that we will qualify for it.

"I'm pressing for the minister to provide the declaration despite the fact that we can't jump through the steps. Water is going to be lying on the ground for some time."

The Mercury asked Ms Cooke to explain why Port Stephens had been left out.

She couldn't comment because she was travelling around flood-affected areas, but a NSW Resilience spokeswoman revealed that when the other Hunter LGAs had been added the government was not aware Port Stephens had been affected.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The spokeswoman confirmed Port Stephens was now being considered for a natural disaster declaration.

"Resilience NSW has been in discussion with Port Stephens Council around the requirement for a natural disaster declaration," she said.

"We will of course continue to engage with local government to identify further requirements and eligibility for natural disaster declarations."

The declaration would give the LGA access to concessional loans and grants.

Under the AGRN 1012 category eligible small businesses and primary producers would have access to concessional loans up to $130,000. Not-for-profit organisations would have access to concessional loans up to $25,000 and sporting groups could get a concessional loan up to $10,000.

Grants would also be on offer - up to $2000 for sporting clubs, up to $50,000 for small business and up to $75,000 for primary producers.