Information for people affected by the East Gippsland & North East bushfires– VERSION 1 - January 2020

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Contents

VicEmergency warnings and information ...................................................................................................... 2

Local area information ................................................................................................................................ 2

Road closures and information .................................................................................................................... 2

Register.Find.Reunite ................................................................................................................................. 2

Displaced persons ...................................................................................................................................... 3

Emergency Relief Centres ........................................................................................................................... 3

Community meetings ................................................................................................................................. 4

DHHS Emergency Relief Assistance Payment - Personal Hardship Assistance Program ...................................... 4

Emergency relief assistance .................................................................................................................... 4

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment .................................................................................. 4

Disaster Recovery Allowance................................................................................................................... 5

Emergency Re-establishment Payments ................................................................................................... 5

Red Cross Emergency Grants .................................................................................................................. 5

Victorian Chamber and VTIC Assistance package ....................................................................................... 5

Replacing documents and identification ....................................................................................................... 6

VicRoads ................................................................................................................................................... 6

Support for people with unpaid fines ........................................................................................................... 6

Financial counselling ................................................................................................................................... 7

Insurance .................................................................................................................................................. 7

Other financial assistance and support ......................................................................................................... 7

Returning home after the fire ...................................................................................................................... 8

Water ....................................................................................................................................................... 8

Replacement of water used for firefighting ................................................................................................... 9

Power supply issues .................................................................................................................................... 9

Farm and livestock ..................................................................................................................................... 9

Help for injured wildlife ............................................................................................................................ 10

Smoke and your health ............................................................................................................................. 10

Mental health and wellbeing after the bushfires ......................................................................................... 10

Support helplines ..................................................................................................................................... 11

Phone and internet services ...................................................................................................................... 11

Banks ...................................................................................................................................................... 12

Websites ................................................................................................................................................. 13

Attachments ............................................................................................................................................ 13

Information for people affected by the

East Gippsland & North East bushfires

Information for people affected by the East Gippsland & North East bushfires– VERSION 1 - January 2020

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VicEmergency warnings and information

• Website: www.emergency.vic.gov.au

• Hotline: 1800 226 226 (for other languages call the Translating and Interpreting Service

(TIS) on 131 450 (freecall) and ask them to call the VicEmergency hotline).

• App: search your app store for ‘VicEmergency’

Local area information Northeast

https://www.necma.vic.gov.au/About-Us/Bushfire-Information/Where-to-find-

help

East Gippsland

https://www.eastgippsland.vic.gov.au/Bushfire_information

Road closures and information

• Website: www.traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au

Always observe road closures and instructions from emergency services.

For the latest information on road closures visit the website, use the VicTraffic app, Twitter

or Facebook accounts.

Fire-affected parks: https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/get-into-nature/safety-in-nature/fire-

affected-parks

Register.Find.Reunite

Everyone in or who has left should register with Register.Find.Reunite online at

www.register.redcross.org.au or by calling 1800 727 077.

This will assist both the emergency services and allow your loved ones to know you are safe

You can use Reigster.Find.Reunite to find someone if you have friends or family you are

unable to locate. Use 'Find' to look for people you know may be affected by an emergency.

Concerned about welfare of family and friends.

If you are unable to locate a family member or friend using RFR (see above), you need to

contact Victoria Police via 000 (emergency) or Assistance Line via 131 444 (non-life

threatening)

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Displaced persons

Persons who have been displaced where possible should arrange to stay with friends or

family until it is safe to return home.

If this is not possible, emergency temporary accommodation may be provided at Emergency

Relief Centres.

Persons should also consider accessing support available. (see other sections for specific

information) Persons can attend an Emergency Relief Centre for assistance and information

about the support services available.

Emergency Relief Centres East Gippsland Fires - 2019-20

The following relief centres are open:

Bairnsdale Football Pavilion - Dalmahoy Street, Bairnsdale

Financial hardship assistance points

Buchan Recreational Reserve, Buchan (10am-4pm)

Orbost Library, Ruskin Street (10am-4pm)

Mobile relief teams

The East Gippsland Shire and the Department of Health and Human Services' mobile relief teams are heading to Buchan and Gelantipy today.

Gelantipy is scheduled for 10am- 4pm at the Bush Nursing Centre.

Buchan is scheduled for 10am -4pm at the Buchan Recreational Service.

The teams are providing financial assistance and information and advice about the support services available.

North East Fires - 2019-20

The following relief centres are open:

Wangaratta - Performing Arts Centre Wangaratta – Ford Street Tallangatta - Tallangatta Memorial Hall, Towong St Corryong - Corryong College, 27-45 Towong Road, Corryong Bonegilla - Latchford Barracks, Bonegilla Road, Bandiana

Other relief centres will be opened as required

Emergency Relief Centres help with people’s essential needs in the immediate aftermath of an emergency. This includes food, shelter and bedding. Services will vary across each centre. These centres are run by Council staff and also have representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services, Red Cross, Victoria Police and the Salvation Army.

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Community meetings

Monitor Council and DELWP social media and websites for information in regard to future

meetings.

DHHS Emergency Relief Assistance Payment - Personal Hardship

Assistance Program

If you have been affected by a natural disaster and you are experiencing financial hardship,

you may be eligible for an emergency relief and/or emergency reestablishment payments.

These grants are managed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Emergency relief assistance

Emergency relief assistance is available for up to seven days after the event if you are

unable to access or live in your home because of an emergency.

Payments of up to $560 per adult and $280 per child (up to a maximum of $1960 per

eligible household) are available to help meet immediate needs, including emergency

food, shelter, clothing and personal items.

To find out if you are eligible, visit a relief centre in the area. Go

to https://www.emergency.vic.gov.au/relief/#relief_and_recovery_centres to check

which relief centres are open.

The payments are designed to help eligible people experiencing personal and extreme

financial hardship due to the fires.

Relief payments are not available to:

• Tourists

• Cover the costs of cleaning up fallen trees or branches on properties

• Cover the cost of repairing or replacing fences. If a tree has fallen on your house,

please call the SES or your local council for more information

• Cover loses or impacts associated with power outages. Contact your energy

distributor if you have any questions

• Cover business losses or compensate for lost income • Repair or tow motor vehicle

• Pay insurance excess.

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment $1000 per adult and $400 per child

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.

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/victorian-

bushfires-december-2019-australian-government-disaster-recovery-payment

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Disaster Recovery Allowance Up to 13 weeks income support for those who have lost income as a direct result of

the bushfires

Equivalent to Newstart or Youth Allowance

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/victorian-

bushfires-december-2019-disaster-recovery-allowance

Emergency Re-establishment Payments Emergency re-establishment assistance is available if your principal place of residence

(your home) is uninhabitable for more than seven days because of an emergency.

Provides up to $42,250 per eligible household experiencing financial hardship, who

have been affected by fire at their primary place of residence.

The grants will be available for clean-up, emergency accommodation, repairs,

rebuilding (a principal place of residence), and replacing some damaged contents.

Re-establishment assistance is available to individuals or families who do not have

building (home) insurance or contents insurance.

https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/personal-hardship-assistance-program

Households should contact their local council, or visit a relief centre, to discuss assistance

options.

Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster

Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Red Cross Emergency Grants People who have lost homes in the 2019/2020 bushfire season can apply to Australian Red

Cross for an emergency grant of $5,000. Emergency grants are available across Australia to

people whose primary place of residence has been destroyed or made uninhabitable by the

fires since July 2019. The grants are available to help bushfire-affected people to meet basic

recovery needs.

If your home has been destroyed by a bushfire, please get in touch through our

website redcross.org.au/grants. You can also call 1800 RED CROSS (1800 733 276)

during business hours or email grants@redcross.org.au

The grants are part of a broader program to support people and communities

affected by severe bushfires across the country. We provide psychological first aid

and community support, assist people at evacuation centres, offer information and

connect people to services they need.

Recovery from disasters like bushfires can be long and complex. We know people and

communities can manage their own recovery with the right support in place.

Victorian Chamber and VTIC Assistance package

If you have been impacted by bushfire you may be eligible for Victorian and Commonwealth Government assistance. Our special bushfire page has information on where to get financial, mental health and other support. As part of our response, the Victorian Chamber and VTIC have established a 12-month, $500,000 support package to assist businesses affected by the Victorian bushfires.

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All services under this support package will be provided at no cost to any business in a Victorian natural disaster declared area, including:

Mental health support with access to a confidential counselling services

Access to our local training and business mentoring, with a focus on health, safety and

wellbeing courses and business restoration

Access to our Workplace Relations Advice Line

Membership fee waiver for Victorian Chamber and VTIC members for the next 12

months (this will be automatically applied for eligible members).

To access any of the above services please contact us at 03 8662 5442 or email disaster@victorianchamber.com.au.

Financial counselling

The Rural Financial Counselling Service is also available to farmers across all fire affected

areas, offering free and independent financial support to primary producers and non-

agriculture related small businesses. The service can be contacted on 1300 834 775.

Financial counsellors are professionals, regulated by federal legislation and employed by not

for profit community organisations. They provide information, advice and advocacy support

free of charge, assisting people in dealing with life situations involving debt and hardship,

dealing with creditors, and stabilising finances. The National Debt Helpline is staffed by

financial counsellors and can be contacted on 1800 007 007.

Replacing documents and identification Destroyed identity documents – if your identity documents have been destroyed in the

fires, Births, Deaths and Marriages can replace Victorian birth certificates for free. Please call

1300 369 367.

The Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages will replace certificates that were lost in the

recent bushfires, free of charge. You can call the Department of Justice and Community

Safety on 03 5215 8500 and they will mail the forms to you.

VicRoads If you've been affected by the recent fires

refund your remaining registration without any admin fees for any fire damaged

vehicles or,

replace your licence/learner permit/marine licence card for free.

Visit the VicRoads website for more information. https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

Support for people with unpaid fines Fines Victoria is providing assistance to people who have been impacted by the fires and have

unpaid fines.

Contact Fines Victoria to discuss your options and the support available.

https://online.fines.vic.gov.au/en/Contact-Us

You can also arrange to pay fines by instalments or extension, or request a review if you

believe a fine was unfairly issued or there is a valid reason why it should be withdrawn.

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Financial counselling The Rural Financial Counselling Service is also available to farmers, offering free and

independent financial support to primary producers and non-agriculture related small

businesses. The service can be contacted on 1300 834 775.

Financial counsellors are professionals, regulated by federal legislation and employed by not

for profit community organisations. They provide information, advice and advocacy support

free of charge, assisting people in dealing with life situations involving debt and hardship,

dealing with creditors, and stabilising finances. The National Debt Helpline is staffed by

financial counsellors and can be contacted on 1800 007 007.

Insurance If you have property or contents insurance you should contact your insurance company as

soon as possible after the fire.

Ask your insurer for advice on actions you should take

Do not discard or throw away damaged items without first consulting your insurance

company

Make a list of items that have been damaged and take photographs if possible

Keep receipts for any emergency repair work

For assistance with insurance contact the Insurance Council of Australia on 1800 734 621 (24

hour hotline). You can find information on lodging a claim following a disaster

here: www.disasters.org.au.

For further details on insurance advice see Understand Insurance.  

If you are unsure about your insurance details or have general inquiries about the claims

process, contact the Insurance Council of Australia’s disaster hotline on 1800 734 621.

Other financial assistance and support • Centrelink: 132 850

• Insurance Council of Australia disaster hotline: 1800 734 621

• Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS): Free financial counselling to farmers and small related businesses who are in, or at risk of financial hardship. Call 1300 045 747

• Farm household allowance: A payment for farming families in financial hardship. For

information call the Farmers Assistance Hotline on 132 316 (Mon to Fri, 8am to 8pm).

• Salvation Army: DHHS at Emergency Relief Centres may refer persons on to Salvation Army for additional assistance.

• State Trustees: 1300 138 672

• Superannuation (early access on compassionate grounds): 1300 131 060

• Victorian Disaster Legal Aid: 1800 677 402

• Consumer Affairs Victoria: Information and advice about your rights and obligations

following an emergency, including on renting and rebuilding, and insurance. Visit

www.consumer.vic.gov.au/disasterhelp or call 1300 55 81 81

• Australian Passport Information Service: You may be eligible for a free replacement

passport if it has been lost or damaged in the bushfire. Call 131 232.

• Telstra: 132 203 to register for a relief package and/or assistance with free or interim

services during the recovery period.

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Returning home after the fire Red Cross provides great safety information about returning home after a bushfire or see

the Better Health Channel for key info on what to do to keep yourself and your family

safe. https://www.redcross.org.au/after-a-bushfire

Tips:

• Check with your local emergency services that it is safe to return to your property.

• Houses, sheds and other buildings or structures burnt in a bushfire can leave potential

health hazards.

• These may include fallen or sharp objects, smouldering coals, damaged electrical

wires, leaking gas and weakened walls.

• When returning to your property, make sure you are aware of the dangers and take

steps to protect your health and safety.

• Make sure you wear protective clothing before entering your property as hazardous

material including asbestos may be present.

• It is unsafe to spread ash around your property, particularly if asbestos materials were

used in your home or other structures, or if CCA-treated timber was burnt. It is also

unsafe to disturb the dust when walking around your property.

• If you have a septic tank, remember it may have been weakened in the fire so do not

drive or walk over it.

Water Water tanks –East Gippsland

Anyone seeking emergency water assistance from the bushfire affected areas should contact

South East Water on 131 851.

Residents in bushfire affected areas who are without drinking and domestic water supply due

to tank contamination now have a single point of contact to call for assistance.

South East Water will be providing bushfire aid on behalf of the Victorian water industry to East

Gippsland Water and North East Water.

South East Water will be a ‘one-stop-shop’ as the initial contact point for bushfire affected

residents who need emergency relief water, as well as coordinating the delivery of water

across affected areas.

Eligible permanent residents in the declared bushfire affected areas of East Gippsland and

some parts of the Wellington Shire will be provided a tank water flush and top-up of 5,000

litres.

It is possible your water tank supply will be contaminated after a bushfire. Boiling water does

not remove fire retardants or other chemicals from your water.

For more info on ash in water tanks, see the fact sheets on Council’s

website: www.eastgippsland.vic.gov.au/Services/Public_Health/Bushfires_and_your_health

or call the EPA on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842).

North East Water

Ph: 1300 361 644 (24 hr service)

Goulburn Murray Water

Ph: 1800 013 357 and 1800 064 184

East Gippsland Water Authority

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(03) 5150 4444

For more info on ash and water tanks, hazards such as asbestos etc, see the fact sheets on

the EPA website: Emergency information | Environment Protection Authority Victoria

For information about keeping your drinking water safe, refer to the Department of Health

and Human Services website at www2.health.vic.gov.au and search for ‘After a fire and

drinking water’. Department of Health and Human Services’ website:

Replacement of water used for firefighting If you have had water taken from dams or other private water supplies by DELWP or CFA, you

can apply to DELWP to have the water replaced.

Essential water replacement requests must be submitted within 3 months of the water being

used.

To make a request, fill in the Essential Water Replacement form from the Forest Fire

Management Victoria website.

Enquiries: Call 1800 226 226.

Power supply issues

Power outages – Energy Victoria has links to distributors via https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/electricity/electricity-distributors

Download the Power outages and food safety factsheet for information on what to do to keep food safe in an emergency power failure.

Portable generators can allow some normal activities to continue, however, it is important to use them with extreme caution.

For further information on using alternative fuel and electricity generation safely download the Power outages: using alternative fuel and electricity generation safely factsheet.

Power reconnection: Contact your electricity distribution company.

More information: Go to www.energy.vic.gov.au and search for ‘Flood, fires and energy

safety’ or Ausnet Services 13 17 99.

Farm and livestock Agriculture Victoria staff are working with affected landholders to assess injured livestock and losses of agricultural assets and livestock.

• Injured livestock/ animal welfare assessments: Call 1800 226 226 then selection option “0” and then “4” to speak to an operator to arrange for animal health staff to visit and assess livestock.

• For information on bushfire recovery: Call 136 186 or visit

www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/animalemergencies

• If you have injured pets: Seek advice immediately from your local vet or call the RSPCA

on 9224 2222.

• To report wandering livestock: Call Council on 5153 9500.

Agricultural Victoria can provide technical advice and help you make decisions on;

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• Agisting livestock affected by a bushfire

• assessing livestock after a bushfire

• stock containment areas

• pasture recovery

For more info on these topics go to www.agriculture.vic.gov.au and search for ‘recovery’ or

call 136 186.

Deceased livestock

• Report deceased livestock: to Agriculture Victoria on 1800 226 226

• Burying deceased livestock: If you bury livestock please follow EPA guidelines.

You can find information on these guidelines by calling the EPA 24 hours a day

on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842), or go to www.epa.vic.gov.au and search for

‘Bushfire waste disposal.’

Fodder

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is leading the drive to provide fodder to affected

farmers and is establishing depots where fodder can be delivered and collected.

Landholders who need emergency fodder, and those who want to donate fodder to help

out, should contact the VFF on 1300 882 833 or email fodder@vff.org.au Help for injured wildlife You can also use the online ‘Help for injured wildlife’ tool from DEWLP to find and contact

the closest wildlife carers and rescue and rehabilitation organisations. Go to

www.wildlife.vic.gov.au and search for ‘Help for injured wildlife tool.’

Smoke and your health For medical advice for burns or exposure to smoke: See your doctor, local community health

centre or call Nurse on Call on 1300 606 024. Nurse on Call offers expert medical advice from

a registered nurse, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the cost of a local call from anywhere in

Victoria.

For more information visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au and search for ‘Smoke and

your health.’

The Environment Protection Authority has fact sheets about smoke and other issues after an

emergency, etc. https://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-epa/what-we-do/emergency-

information-and-support

Mental health and wellbeing after the bushfires • Please check in at the Emergency Relief Centre to find out about the many services

available to assist you and your family, and to connect with others in your community.

• It is normal for a distressing or frightening event to affect you physically, mentally and

emotionally. Look out for others and if you need help, seek help. You might find talking to

friends and family useful, or talk with your GP.

• It may be a good idea to see a counsellor or psychologist to help you process your

experience.

Australian Psychological Society Referral Service: Call 1800 333 497

Information on trauma reaction and recovery: Go to

www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/healthyliving/trauma

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Support helplines • Lifeline: 131 114 24-hour telephone counselling, information and referral service.

• BeyondBlue: 1300 224 636 Provides information on depression and anxiety. To access

professional counselling services, please make contact with your GP and ask for a referral.

• Kids Help Line: 1800 551 800 Confidential telephone counselling service for young people

aged 5–25 years.

• Headspace: 1800 650 890

• ParentLine: 132 289 Counselling and information for families with children (up to 18

years) from 8am to midnight, 7 days a week.

• Men’s Line Australia: 1300 789 978 24–hour counselling and advice for men.

• Family Violence support: There is an increased risk of family violence after an emergency.

Help is available by calling 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732 - confidential) or go to

www.vic.gov.au/familyviolence

• Windermere: 1300 946 337

Phone and internet services Call your phone provider to report a fault and get your calls redirected to another number

(such as a mobile phone number).

OPTUS

Optus Bushfire Customer Contact line: 1300 301 671 Optus has established a special customer contact line for customers affected by the bushfires, customers can phone our dedicated hotline: 1300 301 671 (24/7). This is a dedicated number only for those impacted by the bushfires; customers seeking assistance for other matters can ring the Optus Customer Care line on 133 937. Optus has in place a financial assistance policy to support customers affected by the bushfires. Optus may offer:

Free call diversions from an Optus fixed home phone to any mobile or fixed number

Extended time frames for bill payments

Bill waivers in instances of extreme financial hardship

Free suspension, relocation or cancellation of a fixed service

Free prepaid credit which can be organised at our local stores In addition Optus will provide unmetered access to a range of emergency services websites for customers in bushfire affected areas to ensure customers can access the information they need without exceeding their data caps.

Volunteer Firefighter support

Optus announced it would cover the costs of volunteer firefighters’ mobile services for December and January to show appreciation for the efforts of volunteer firefighters protecting communities around Australia.

TELSTRA

An assistance package is available for Victorian customers that have lost service as a result of the fires in East Gippsland and parts of Northern Eastern Victoria including Corryong, Walwa, Towong, Cudgewa and Burrowye. The assistance package provides customers with access to free and interim services during the recovery period, in addition to providing the wider community with free calls and free Telstra Air Wi-Fi through local payphones.

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Customers who have had to evacuate their home or have lost their home are encouraged to call us 132 203 (then enter their full home phone number including area code when prompted) to report a fault and register for the assistance package. Telstra’s relief packages can include the following: Short term measures (for Telstra customers who have a short-term impact – temporary evacuation of premises or temporary fault):

Free use of Telstra public payphones in the affected areas Free use of Telstra Air payphone hotspots in the affected areas Free call diversion from an affected fixed home or business phone service to another

fixed or mobile service of the customer’s choice, regardless of the carrier Customers who use the free call diversion to divert their affected fixed home or business

phone to their Telstra mobile service can also make local and STD® calls on their mobile at fixed-line rates, in accordance with their selected plan (limited to one designated Telstra mobile per affected household or business.

Affected Telstra mobile customers who do not have a Telstra home phone can receive a one-off credit to the value of $100 inc. GST (limited to one mobile phone per Telstra mobile account). The above offers are applicable until network damage in the area due to fire is repaired, or while customers remain evacuated, for a maximum period of three months from the date of the fires. Long-term measures (for Telstra customers who have suffered severe damage to or loss of their premises):

Free call diversion from the customer’s Telstra fixed phone service to another Australian fixed or mobile service of their choice, regardless of the carrier. This offer is applicable for a maximum period of 6 months from the date of the fire.

In addition, Telstra will apply a one-off credit to the value of $500 inc. GST to the customer’s Telstra fixed phone account to help cover the costs of the following, if required: Connection of a Telstra fixed phone service at one temporary residence

Re-connection of a Telstra fixed phone service at the customer’s original permanent premises

Banks Emergency bushfire packages available

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) announced on Friday an assistance package for communities impacted by natural disasters, including the catastrophic bushfires.

Affected customers experiencing financial difficulties can have their loan repayments deferred, fees and charges waived and existing loans restructured at a suite of ABA member banks, including the big four banks – Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Westpac and ANZ – as well as ING, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Bank of Queensland, Suncorp, Macquarie Bank and more.Smaller lender Homestar also announced a financial care package which would include relief from interest charged for a three-month period and for up to 12 months for loan repayments. It is available to its customers who are volunteer firefighters, have damaged property or have lost employment due to the bushfire crisis. Customers can call the Homestar hotline on 1300 099 382 to find out more.

It could be worthwhile getting in contact with your financial institution to see if they can help.

Contact details for banks offering financial assistance

Below are the contact details (phone and information pages) of financial hardship teams at each ABA member bank:

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AMP: 1300 130 191, Experiencing financial hardship ANZ: 1800 252 845, Customer Connect BOQ: 1800 079 866, Financial Hardship Assistance BankSA: 1800 679 461, BankSA Assist Bankwest: 1300 769 173, Experiencing financial hardship Bendigo and Adelaide Bank: 1300 652 146, Financial difficulty assistance Citibank: 1800 722 879, Hardship assistance Commonwealth Bank: 1300 720 814, Emergency assistance HSBC: 1300 555 988, Financial difficulty ING: 1300 349 166, Financial Hardship Macquarie Bank: 1300 363 330, Financial Hardship ME Bank: 1300 500 520, ME Bank financial hardship MyState: 13 800 1, MyState financial hardship NAB: 1800 701 599, Financial Hardship Rabobank: 1800 025 484, Financial Hardship Rural Bank: 1800 660 115, Financial Hardship St. George Bank: 1800 629 795, St. George Assist Suncorp Bank: 1800 225 223, Suncorp Customer Assist Westpac: 1800 067 497, Westpac Assist

Websites

Fact Sheets

https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/emergencies/emergency-type/natural-disasters/bushfire-factsheets

https://www.emergency.vic.gov.au/relief/#relief_and_recovery_centres

https://services.dhhs.vic.gov.au/personal-hardship-assistance-program

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/victorian-bushfires-december-2019-australian-government-disaster-recovery-payment

https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/services/centrelink/victorian-bushfires-december-2019-disaster-recovery-allowance

Attachments

1. ANZ bank

2. Westpac bank

3. NAB bank

4. CommBank

5. Victorian Chamber and VTIC

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Please remember to stay safe and listen to warnings from authorities.

For Release: 23 December 2019

ANZ provides bushfire relief package for all of Australia ANZ today made a financial relief package available for customers affected by

devastating bushfires across the nation with many homes, properties and livestock

already destroyed.

It comes after ANZ in September and November made relief packages available for

customers in NSW and southern Queensland that faced fierce bushfires, many of which

are still burning.

While the immediate focus needs to be on their safety, ANZ encouraged customers

affected by the fires to contact the bank when appropriate so they could discuss how to

access measures in the financial relief package, including:

• The ability to suspend repayments on loans, including credit cards, for up

to three months (which may include interest capitalisation)

• Temporary interest rate relief on lending for customers experiencing

extreme financial distress in areas impacted by the fires

• Waiving of fees associated with restructuring business loans considered

necessary due to bushfire impacts

• Access to term deposits early without incurring any fees

• Assistance for affected customers with ANZ Home and Contents insurance

as they may be eligible for measures such as emergency funds and temporary

accommodation

ANZ has also extended special paid leave for employees who volunteer in emergency

services to ensure they are financially supported while they serve the community.

ANZ General Managing Director Retail Banking, Kath Bray said: “Safety is the number

one priority at the moment for those in the path of these fires, including the brave

firefighters who risk so much to protect us.

“When the time is right to focus on recovering and rebuilding, we hope these relief

measures help our customers in some way as they deal with this terrible experience.

“We have also provided additional leave for our employees who volunteer with

emergency services as they may need to spend more time in the field this summer,” Mrs

Bray said.

News Release

Information for people affected by the East Gippsland & North East bushfires– VERSION 1 - January 2020

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When appropriate, ANZ customers affected by bushfires in a disaster-declared area are

encouraged to visit their local branch if they are able, or to contact their relationship

manager to discuss the impact on their business or personal circumstances.

Customers can also contact ANZ’s dedicated financial hardship team on 1800 149 549 or

anz.com/hardship.

To lodge an insurance claim, customers can call 13 16 14 or visit

anz.com/insuranceclaims

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited ABN 11 005 357 522

Westpac Bushfire Recovery Support Package Personal Banking Customers

Mortgage repayments paid for one year for customers who have lost their principal place of

residence due to the bushfires (up to $1,200 per month)

Interest-free home loans for customers to cover the gap between insurance payouts and

rebuilding costs, subject to our credit criteria ($250 million allocation)

Up to $2,000 in emergency cash grants for customers whose properties have been destroyed or

damaged by bushfires

Business Customers

A grant of up to $15,000 to assist small businesses with the cost of refurbishing premises that

have been destroyed during the bushfires

2.83% three-year variable rate, low-interest rebuilding loans for business customers, up to $1

million individual loans ($1 billion allocation)

Up to $2,000 in emergency cash grants for customers whose business premises have been

destroyed or damaged by the bushfires

No foreclosures for three years on any farming businesses in the affected areas

Fast track credit approvals to provide short-term assistance

Community

3 million to provide emergency cash grants to customers in affected towns and regions

$500,000 donation to Financial Counselling Australia to provide financial counselling services to

people in affected towns and regions to help them through the recovery and rebuild

Volunteer fire fighters nationally can access the Disaster Relief Package

Appointing new role CEO, Bushfire Recovery to lead response. This includes mobile customer

support teams deployed to affected towns and regions for localised decision-making

This is in addition to the more than $1 million already contributed to community groups such as

The Salvation Army Emergency & Disaster Appeal, state-based volunteer services, and state

bushfire appeals

Our Employees

Uncapped paid leave for Westpac Group employees who are emergency services volunteers in

bushfire affected areas (includes Fire, SES, Paramedic and Defence)

3 days paid community volunteering leave for employees wanting to volunteer in bushfire

affected areas

Up to $5,000 in emergency cash grants for employees in affected areas who need emergency

relief

Information for people affected by the East Gippsland & North East bushfires– VERSION 1 - January 2020

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Things you should know -Eligibility conditions apply. Westpac customers who wish to utilise

these special relief measures or need assistance should contact Westpac Assist on 1800 067

497 or speak with their Relationship Manager. Mobile Westpac Support teams will also be

available in bushfire affected towns and regions.

NAB - $1 MILLION DISASTER RELIEF FUND * On 7 January 2020, NAB announced additional relief and recovery measures, including

$2,000 grants for eligible business and agribusiness customers. More information here.

NAB has today announced a $1 million fund to help people affected by bushfires across

Australia.

In recognition of the scale and severity of the bushfires, NAB has created the $1 million

Disaster Relief Fund to give customers and employees displaced from their homes ready

access to cash, as well as support in the months ahead as communities rebuild homes

and businesses.

NAB customers who have lost homes this bushfire season can immediately access

$2,000 grants to help cover costs such as temporary accommodation, food and

clothing (further eligibility details at end).

For information on how to access the grants contact the NAB Assist team

on the dedicated number 1300 683 106 (8am-8pm Monday to Friday; and

9am-1pm Saturday AEST/AEDT). NAB employees who have had to evacuate their

homes can also access a $1,000 grant.

The $1 million Disaster Relief Fund is in addition to the $250,000 already committed to

bushfire affected communities in NSW, SA and QLD in the past two months. The fund will

also be used to provide ongoing support during the rest of the year, as the scale of the

impact of these natural disasters on people and businesses becomes clearer.

Other support measures NAB is providing include:

Financial relief measures for customers impacted by bushfire in Victoria, South

Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania (see notes for full details).

Donation collections in branches Australia wide, and via internet banking, for

Australian Red Cross’ relief and recovery work. For Internet Banking donations,

select: Funds Transfer » Donation » Charity » Australian Red Cross – NSW & QLD

or Australian Red Cross – SA, VIC, WA & TAS

Dedicated hardship bankers from our NAB Assist team working on the ground in

affected communities

Counselling support for our customers available via NAB’s Employee Assistance

Program

Information for people affected by the East Gippsland & North East bushfires– VERSION 1 - January 2020

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“The Disaster Relief Fund is designed to assist our customers, colleagues and

communities as they deal with the personal impact of the bushfires both immediately

and throughout 2020.

“Customers in need of support should visit a NAB branch or call our NAB Assist team on

1300 683 106.

NAB had a longstanding policy to provide our emergency service volunteers as much

paid crisis leave as they require during emergencies, such as the current bushfires

across Australia.

Background Australia’s banks are working together to ensure cash is accessible in the areas

most affected by the bushfires.

NAB’s ongoing natural disaster financial relief measures include:

Credit card and personal loan relief where appropriate;

Suspending home and personal loan repayments;

Support to manage existing regional and agribusiness bank facilities;

Waiving costs and charges for withdrawing term deposits early;

Waiving home loan and personal loan application fees;

Support to restructure other existing bank facilities; and

Provision of support and counselling by making NAB’s Employee Assistance

Program available to customers.

For any NAB merchant terminal customer impacted by the current bushfires and

in need of support, please contact the Merchant Helpdesk on 1300 369

852 (between 7am – 7pm AEST) – they’re ready to help.

Further assistance for customers who need help:

Visit their nearest open NAB branch, contact their banker directly or call NAB

Assist on 1300 683 106 (8am-8pm Mon-Fri, or 9am-1pm on Saturdays

AEST/AEDT).

Eligibility criteria for the $2,000 grant is centred around:

A current customer or employee of NAB Group. For customers: need to

have been a customer on or before 2 January 2020 and hold at least one

active account;

Have lost your primary place of residence during the current bushfire

season (rent or own) – meaning that the property is no longer in a liveable

condition;

One grant per household (a household is defined as an address);

Only available for primary residences, not for investment properties.

All enquiries will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, with the NAB Assist team to

determine eligibility.

https://news.nab.com.au/nab-pledges-5-million-support-for-bushfire-recovery-extends-grants-to-

affected-businesses-and-farmers/

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CommBank Emergency Assistance Package https://www.commbank.com.au/support/emergency-assistance-package.html

We're here to support our customers and communities in times of need. Here is how we

can help if you’ve been affected by bushfires.

How we can help

CommBank's Emergency Assistance Package is for customers and businesses affected by

bushfires, floods and storms. We've also extended our Emergency Assistance Package to

all volunteer firefighters. The package includes loan restructuring and waiving of selected

fees and charges.

We understand that each customer will have different needs and we encourage affected

customers and volunteer firefighters to discuss their individual circumstances with us by

calling 1300 720 814 or visiting any branch. If you're a business customer, please call 13

26 07 or your dedicated CommBank relationship manager.

Special arrangements are put in place to provide support to our CommBank and

CommInsure customers should they need it, and our team are ready to help you with

your financial concerns and enquiries.

Package options As part of the Bank’s Emergency Assistance Package, we can discuss a range of options,

including:

Emergency accommodation assistance for CommInsure customers whose homes

have been damaged by bushfire, flood or storms.

Expediting claims to CommInsure for customers seeking help through their home,

contents and car insurance.

Customised assistance for Commonwealth Bank home loan, credit card and

personal loan customers who may experience difficulties because of the bushfire,

flood or storms.

Considering requests for additional loans including emergency credit limit

increases (subject to credit approval).

Loan restructuring for business customers with existing loans.

Waiving prepayment charges for the month following the event, for affected

customers wishing to access term deposits and Commonwealth Investment Bonds

ahead of the maturity date.

Waiving other selected fees and charges.

Making a claim

Special Assistance line 1300 720 814

Business Financial Assistance line 13 26 07

Visit your nearest open branch

How to make an insurance claim

https://www.commbank.com.au/support/emergency-assistance-package.html

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Victorian bushfire assistance

Bushfires are taking a big toll on Victorian communities and businesses this

summer. While a full assessment of the damage won’t be known for some time,

as fires continue to burn, and roads remain closed, we know that many

businesses have been damaged or destroyed and trade across the state is

down.

We are working closely with the Victorian and Federal Governments to provide

information on business impacts and to secure assistance, now for relief and

recovery and over the longer term to help businesses across the state keep

people in jobs and communities prosperous.

Assistance package

If you have been impacted by bushfire you may be eligible for Victorian and

Commonwealth Government assistance. Our special bushfire page has

information on where to get financial, mental health and other support.

As part of our response, the Victorian Chamber and VTIC have established a 12-

month, $500,000 support package to assist businesses affected by the Victorian

bushfires.

All services under this support package will be provided at no cost to any

business in a Victorian natural disaster declared area, including:

Mental health support with access to a confidential counselling services

Access to our local training and business mentoring, with a focus on

health, safety and wellbeing courses and business restoration

Access to our Workplace Relations Advice Line

Membership fee waiver for Victorian Chamber and VTIC members for the

next 12 months (this will be automatically applied for eligible members).

To access any of the above services please contact us at 03 8662 5442 or

email disaster@victorianchamber.com.au.

Support to keep local business in business

Although parts of East Gippsland and north eastern Victoria are, for the

moment, unsuitable travel destinations due to the bushfires, most other parts of

the state are open for business.

We’re calling on governments to support local business and to encourage

domestic and overseas visitors to do the same. We encourage all of our

members and clients to do what they can to support local business.