ELIGIBLE primary producers impacted by the May floods can now apply for a “self-contained pod” on their property.
Offered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority and the Commonwealth Government, the pods are designed for use in rural environments, and are equipped with generators and water tanks, allowing them to operate independently of existing utilities and infrastructure.
According to the NSW Government, the pods are being provided to people who rely on farming operations for their livelihoods and need to remain on their farms.
Primary producers may also apply for a pod for essential farm employees who lived on the property.
Eligible primary producers can apply for up to two pods for a maximum of 12 months.
Following the announcement last week, NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders raised questions around the narrow eligibility criteria and why more people weren’t included under the program.
“While we can acknowledge this temporary housing is a start, it won’t help anywhere near enough people when you consider more than a thousand buildings were deemed uninhabitable,” Mr Saunders said.
“The May floods left a path of destruction across several communities tearing through people’s lives and livelihoods, and while I’ll always welcome support for farmers, this should be extended to cover anyone who is unable to return to their homes right now.”
The guidelines for the self-contained pods state that applicants must be “uninsured for flood” and the program “does not aim to support people who are not dependent on farming operations as their primary source of income”.
Shadow Minister for the North Coast and Acting Shadow Minister for Flood Recovery Gurmesh Singh said those impacted have “had enough of the red tape”.
“The last thing people need when they are trying to get back on their feet is more unnecessary regulations and paperwork stopping them from moving forward,” Mr Singh said.
“By imposing such stringent guidelines, it feels like the Government is trying to force people to fit into a very narrow set of rules, instead of assessing producers and residents on a case by-case basis and figuring out what they actually need to survive.”
Applications for self-contained pods are open until 31 October 2025.
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