I am advised:

(1) The NSW State Emergency Service (SES), as the combat agency for storms, provided first response with assistance from Fire & Rescue NSW and NSW Rural Fire Service strike teams.

Sydney residents affected by the storms on 14 October 2014 may be eligible for assistance in the form of a Disaster Relief Grant under the NSW Personal Hardship and Distress Scheme. The Ministry for Police and Emergency Services offers financial assistance for residents who are experiencing financial hardship and have sustained     damage to their homes or essential household items during disasters.

People with limited financial resources and who are without insurance may be eligible for a contribution towards the cost of undertaking structural repairs to their home or towards replacing essential household items.

Those who think they may be eligible are encouraged to visit www.emergency.nsw.gov.au or contact the Disaster Welfare Assistance Line on 1800 018 444 for further information on how to claim.

(2) The Government assists businesses through its support of the NSW State Emergency Service, Councils and other emergency services in clearing roads and cleaning up storm debris so the local economy can get back on its feet.

The Government also assists businesses through the Office of the Small Business Commissioner and its Small Biz Connect program. This program has 18 business advisory services across NSW providing information and advice to small businesses, including those dealing with the impact of natural disasters. Through the Small Biz Bus mobile advisory service and the Penrith Valley Business Enterprise Centre, the Government has been providing ongoing support to small Blue Mountains businesses recovering over the last 12 months since the devastating bush fires. This assistance will continue for those impacted by the storm.

Finally, the Government will seek advice as to whether a Natural Disaster can be declared for the storm. If a Natural Disaster is declared, the Government will activate low-interest loans for eligible small businesses that have suffered damage to their assets as a direct result of the disaster.

(3) The NSW SES received 2,700 requests for assistance for this storm event. Fire & Rescue NSW took 1,105 Triple Zero calls, of which 120 were passed on to the NSW SES.

(4) The vast majority of tasks in the Blue Mountains area were completed by the NSW SES prior to 19 October 2014, with all tasks completed by 20 October 2014.

(5) All NSW SES tasks were completed in the Sydney metropolitan area prior to 20 October 2014. The NSW SES has reported minimal follow-up maintenance and repair requests, with the last of these completed on 23 October 2014.