Income Recovery Subsidy |
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The Commonwealth Government is providing employees, small business people and farmers who have lost their incomes as a direct result of the bushfires an Income Recovery Subsidy. This Subsidy provides payments equivalent to the maximum rate of Newstart allowance given the person's circumstances. This assistance will be offered for an initial period of 13 weeks. The Income Recovery Subsidy is available to Australian residents over 16 years of age, who have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the Victorian Bushfires. The subsidy is payable from 29 January 2009 and will compliment the range of services, payments and assistance already available. For more information on eligibility or if you have any queries, please visit the Centrelink website or contact the Australian Government Victorian Bushfires Hotline on 180 2211 or TTY service FreeCALLTM 1800 810 586. Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA)The Australian Government is helping to facilitate the early provision of assistance to disaster affected communities by supporting the Victorian Government under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). The Victorian Department of Human Services is delivering the following assistance:
There are currently 25 local government areas eligible for assistance under the NDRRA. These are: Alpine, Baw Baw, Cardinia, Corangamite, Greater Bendigo, Hepburn, Horsham, Indigo, Latrobe, Macedon Ranges, Mitchell, Mount Alexander, Murrindindi, Nillumbik, Southern Grampians, Wangaratta, Wellington, West Wimmera, Whittlesea, Yarra Ranges, Lake Mountain Alpine Resort, South Gippsland, Knox, Greater Dandenong and Casey. Further information on this assistance is available from the Victorian Department of Human Services via its website or on 1800 240 667 or your local council. Counselling SupportThe Australian Government has deployed Centrelink social workers to assist in the recovery efforts. These social workers will be located at the Victorian Relief and Recovery Centres and provide case management through counselling, personal support, referrals and practical assistance to affected individuals and families. This will also include helping people affected by the fires to access financial assistance. Locations of the Relief and Recovery Centres are provided through the Department of Human Services website. Generalist financial counselling services, funded by both Commonwealth and Victorian Governments, are available for people affected by the fires. For more information about these services contact the Financial & Consumer Rights Council Inc by phone 1800 134 139 or their website: http://www.fcrc.org.au/. For information on how banks, building societies and credit unions can help people to cope see the Managing financial distress following a natural disaster fact sheet. Newstart - relaxation to requirementsJob seekers who volunteer to help with clean up and recovery efforts, or who live in locations where job opportunities have effectively been eliminated, will be shown leniency and will not be asked to look for work for an initial period of 13 weeks. A fact sheet is available through the Centrelink Customer Service Centres and Relief and Recovery Centres to advise job seekers of these special arrangements. Job seekers who have been personally impacted by the disaster (including but not limited to damage to housing, loss of loved ones) may also be subject to a waiver of compliance obligations for a period. Recovering your Proof of IdentityWorking together, Medicare, Centrelink and the Victorian Government will help affected individuals re-establish their identity. This will ensure that payments are delivered to people efficiently in this difficult time. Anyone seeking more information or assistance in replacing identity documents or who require additional support at this time is encouraged to contact Centrelink and Medicare Australia staff in Emergency Recovery Centres and Centrelink and Medicare offices across Victoria. The Victorian Government is providing services related to replacement licenses, birth, marriage or change of name certificates. Details can be found on the Victoria Online Bushfire Information page. Australians or foreign nationals wishing to re-acquire copies of documents issued by foreign countries (e.g. overseas birth certificates or marriage certificates, foreign passports etc) should in the first instance contact the nearest Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of the relevant foreign country, if they are able to do so. A list of all foreign missions and consulates in Australia, together with their contact details, can be found on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website. If you are unable to contact the relevant Embassy, High Commission or Consulate, or you experience difficulties in obtaining the foreign-issued documents you require, contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555135 (for the cost of a local call within Australia). Support for Older Australians
Elderly people in bushfire affected areas needing a range of support, assistance and care may contact the Relief Centre, Recovery Centre or Community Service Hub in their local community or if they are outside of the affected area call the Victorian Case Management Service on 1800 050 400. Legal AdviceThe Commonwealth Government recently announced $220,000 for Victorian community legal centres to help Victorians affected by the bushfire. For more information visit Victoria Legal Aid or call the Bushfire Legal Helpline on 1800 113 432. |