The Lismore Flood Fund has hit and surpassed a huge milestone with more than a million dollars raised from donations received from across Australia and overseas.

Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg thanked everyone who had donated to help get flood survivors back on their feet.

“The response to our Flood Fund Appeal has been overwhelming with donations coming in from all over the country,” he said.

“Our community has been deeply impacted by the recent flood disasters and Council wants to ensure that the money raised is distributed in a fair and transparent way.”

At its Ordinary Meeting of 12 April, Council started the process to determine how these funds will be allocated by establishing a Flood Fund Committee. The Flood Fund Committee will include all Councillors, as well as Council staff and community representatives. 

Council also finalised some of the procedural steps necessary to establish Deductible Gift Receipt status for this Fund through the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Once this is approved by the ATO all donations, both past and future, will be tax-deductible.

Mayor Krieg said: “We’ve been very careful in how we’ve set up our Fund, so that we can build the best process for distributing the donations we have received”. 

“Under our Fund Rules it is open to us to provide support not just direct to impacted individuals but to consider whether there are community groups who are already doing amazing things on the ground, where Council can help magnify the impact of their work across our community. 

“Our Flood Fund Committee will build a clear and transparent process for funds to be allocated in a timely way”. 

The Flood Fund is still open for donations, and more information can be found at www.lismore.nsw.gov.au. 

Finally, to help our flood-affected community and raise more money, the organisers of Bluesfest have donated two stands at the popular festival for Council to raise donations this Easter long weekend.

“I would like to thank Peter Noble and the organisers of Bluesfest for this very generous offer,” Mayor Krieg said.