More than 150 rescues made as SES shifts efforts north – as it happened

Federal disaster payments available to 23 flood-affected areas; nation records 46 Covid deaths as Brad Hazzard says antivirals should be more accessible and Victoria extends pandemic declaration. This blog is now closed

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The federal government is making disaster relief payments available to 23 flood-affected areas in NSW, with emergency management minister Murray Watt saying the assistance would be uncapped".

Watt announced early on Tuesday that the federal and NSW governments were making assistance available through the commonwealth-state disaster recovery funding arrangements.

These are uncapped payments, they are demand-driven and they will be available for anyone who qualifies.