Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by the bushfires.
The rate of AGDRP is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with the
Services Australia for a period up to six months.
AGDRP is available for people who have been seriously injured, have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, or are the immediate family members of a person who has died, as a direct result of the bushfires.
You have until 4 August 2020 to lodge a claim for AGDRP in the local government areas of Alpine, East Gippsland and Towong.
For more information on eligibility, visit the
Services Australia or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.
New Zealand ex-gratia disaster recovery payment
An ex-gratia payment is being provided to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who have been adversely affected by the bushfires.
The payment rate is $1000 per eligible adult, $1,000 per partner or dependent adult and $400 per eligible child. Claims for this payment can be lodged with the
Services Australia for a period of six months.
The payment is available for SCV holders who have been seriously injured, have lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, or are the immediate family members of a person who has died, as a direct result of the bushfires.
You have until 4 August 2020 to lodge a claim for the ex-gratia disaster recovery payment in the local government areas of Alpine, East Gippsland and Towong.
For more information on eligibility, visit the
Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims assistance.
Disaster Recovery Allowance
The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) provides income support payments to employees, primary producers and sole traders who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the bushfires.
DRA provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of Newstart or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.
DRA is available to Australian residents who are sixteen years and older.
DRA is not available to those already receiving another income support payment or pension such as the Age Pension, Newstart Allowance or Service Pension.
You have until 4 August 2020 to lodge a claim for DRA in the local government areas of Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington, Wodonga and in the alpine resort areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
For more information on eligibility, visit the
Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.
New Zealand ex-gratia income support allowance
An ex-gratia income support allowance is available to eligible New Zealand 'non-protected' special category visa (SCV) (subclass 444) holders who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the bushfires.
The income support allowance provides fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks up to the applicable rate of Newstart or Youth Allowance, depending on the person's circumstances.
The allowance is available to SCV holders who are sixteen years and older.
You have until 4 August 2020 to lodge a claim for the ex-gratia income support allowance in the local government areas Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington, Wodonga and in the alpine resort areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
For more information on eligibility, visit the
Services Australia website or contact the Australian Government Information Hotline on 180 22 66 for claims for assistance.
Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements
The joint Australian, state and territory government
Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) provide a range of financial assistance to the natural disaster-declared areas in each state or territory.
For the Victorian bushfires which commenced on 21 November 2019 onwards, the available assistance measures include:
Emergency relief assistance, in the eighteen (18) local government areas of: Alpine, Ararat, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington, Wodonga and in the four (4) alpine resort areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
Emergency re-establishment assistance, in the two (2) local government areas of: East Gippsland and Towong.
Personal and financial counselling; counter disaster operations; and restoration of essential public assets, in the nineteen (19) local government areas of:, Alpine, Ararat , Ballarat, Campaspe, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Strathbogie, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington, Wodonga and in the four (4) alpine resort areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
This assistance is administered by the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services. To enquire about this assistance, people should visit an Emergency Relief Centre or call the Bushfire Recovery Victoria Hotline on 1800 560 760 or visit
Bushfire Recovery Victoria website.
Concessional loans to eligible small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations, in the eighteen (18) local government areas of: Ararat, Alpine, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington, Wodonga and in the four (4) alpine resort areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
Freight subsidy to primary producers in the eighteen (18) local government areas of Alpine, Ararat, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington, Wodonga and in the four (4) alpine resort areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
This assistance is administered by Rural Finance. To enquire about this assistance please contact Rural Finance on 1800 260 425.
Community Recovery Fund and Recovery Grants
A Community Recovery Fund (CRF) has been activated to further assist bushfire affected communities. Funding is available for a range of measures including targeted community projects and mental health support.
Recovery grants of up to $75,000 are available for eligible primary producers and up to $50,000 for eligible small businesses and non-profit organisations.
The CRF and recovery grants are available in the eighteen (18) local government areas of Alpine, Ararat, Ballarat, East Gippsland, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Mansfield, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Southern Grampians, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Wellington, Wodonga and in the four (4) alpine resort areas of Falls Creek, Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Mount Stirling.
Recovery grants for primary producers are available in the one (1) local government area of Campaspe.
For information on how to access the grants and register interest visit the Bushfire Recovery Victoria website.
For further information on recovery arrangements, visit the
Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements page.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will replace passports that have been lost or damaged in declared natural disasters free of charge, visit the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.
