News edition for 22 September 2026. Added to Nungya on 22 October 2026 as part of our retrospective news archive. Reporting reflects information available by the edition date.

Disaster recovery continues long after the immediate emergency passes. A New South Wales program is offering eligible Aboriginal organisations support to lead recovery and prepare for future disruptions through their own community relationships.

The Aboriginal Engagement and Support Coordinator Program responds to flooding and severe weather in May 2025. The official page, updated on 9 September, lists applications open from 25 August until 6 October 2026, with up to $750,000 available to eligible organisations or partnerships.

The proposed work includes community-led recovery activities, knowledge sharing and stronger approaches to engagement during disasters and beyond. It also includes developing a local Connecting with Country Framework to guide future engagement.

Applicants must work directly with First Nations communities and meet the program’s organisational and location requirements. Funding is available until 30 June 2028. The guidelines, rather than this brief update, provide the full eligibility information.

The program recognises that recovery involves relationships and local capability as well as physical repairs. A place-based approach gives communities a role in deciding what resilience means for them and how future engagement should occur. The next stage will be the selection of funded work after applications close.