Federal assistance for Qld bushfire support opens 31 October
The Federal Government is delivering financial support for people directly impacted by the bushfires burning in parts of Queensland’s Western and Darling Downs.
From 2PM on Tuesday 31 October, applications for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) and Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) will open for people who live and work in the Western Downs and Toowoomba Local Government Areas (LGAs):
- The AGDRP is a one-off payment of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child who have suffered a significant loss as a result of the fires, including a severely damaged or destroyed home or a serious injury
- The DRA provides up to 13 weeks of federal income support to assist eligible employees or sole traders who experience a loss of income as a direct result of a major disaster.
Equivalent financial assistance is available to eligible New Zealand citizens holding ‘non-protected Special Category’ and ‘subclass 444’ visas. People will be able to check their eligibility and how to claim on the Services Australia website.
The easiest way for people to claim is online through myGov.
If people need help to claim, they can call the Australian Government Emergency information line on 180 22 66.
People in the Western Downs and Toowoomba LGAs can also pause or change their Centrelink debt repayments using the Money you owe service online in either their Centrelink online account or Express Plus Centrelink mobile app. Alternatively, they can call 1800 076 072.
Source: Australian Government
