The activation of financial aid due to recent-natural calamities is of utmost importance to the Australian Government, as it is providing aid to thousands of their citizens in the country. As part of the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP), an individual cash payment of $1000, and each child $400, is paid as an impact relief payment as retrospective to in declared major disasters. The payment to the recipients in the paranormal category, is unprecedented in the nature of recovery payments. The payment also targets improving the internally displaced persons situation, as it is payment based and in the situation of assets or means, does not set any barriers of income or sets an asset threshold, designed to fit the emergency nature of the relief all of which means. Payments will be lower than any peacetime standard, as they cover each member of the displaced family.
Eligibility Requirements and Application Process
There are a few requirements that each applicant must meet in order to receive the recovery payment of $1,000. Among these requirements, the applicant must be at least 16 years of age and an Australian citizen or an eligible visa holder. Perhaps the most important criterion, however, is that the applicant must bear the brunt of the impact of a declared major disaster.
The government classifies a person as adversely affected if they were seriously wounded, lost a house suffer major damage to their house or other major property, lost valuable items, or are immediate family members of a person who perished owing to the disaster. Immediate family members, who are the primary caregivers of children who meet the above criteria, are also eligible.
Applications for the recovery payment must be made within six months of a disaster being declared, and these can be made online through myGov, by calling the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66, or by going to the nearest Centrelink office. Current payment schedules are different for every disaster and the regions within that disaster affected. For newer disasters, arbitrary cut off deadlines have been set to ensure that claim processing is speedy.
Extensive Support Offered
As a result of the primary disaster recovery payment, individuals may also qualify for the DRA, which DRA employs up to 13 weeks of income support to individuals who, by the means of the employed, suffered losses of employment as a result of the outcomes of a disaster. This allowance functions to support employees, small business owners, and even farmers who, as a result of the event caused by the disaster, lose income.
The government also has put into place programs tailored to specific states, such as Queensland, which offers its residents up to $5,300 with the Essential Household Contents Grants, and the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Schemes which in turn offers up to $4,200 for the restoration of utility. This set of programs offers the greatest support possible during the period of recovery.
Receiving the Payment
Payments in the form of disaster recovery can be paid through the myGov portal, which has been the most streamlined method thus far. Claimants in need of support are still able to reach the Australian Government Emergency Information Line which offers support for the applicants.The time it takes to complete a task starts from a couple of days up to a couple of weeks, depending on the number of applications received and the complexity of the tasks at hand. Payments are made through the bank accounts listed by recipients, allowing efficient and secure dispersal of funds to verified users. The payments are free from taxation, the government clarification means that the recipients will not have to pay further tax over the emergency funds received. The recovery payment system showcases the government’s intention to assist people at their most desperate circumstances by not only helping them get through immediate monetary hardships, but also giving the foundations necessary for payments needed in the future.