Monday, 29 June 2009

More than $33 million in donations to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund will be distributed to people who lost their homes in this year’s bushfires and need further assistance, Appeal Fund Advisory Panel Chair John Landy and Premier John Brumby announced today.

Grants of up to $15,000 will be paid to people who lost their homes to help them with the transition from temporary accommodation into their new homes.

Singles and couples will receive payments of $10,000 and households will receive $15,000. This payment is on top of the $50,000 lump sum and the needs based payments of up to $50,000 that have already been paid to homeowners.

Mr Landy said the Transitional Support for Homeowners payment recognised the temporary circumstances many people find themselves in as they wait for their new houses to be built.

“More than 2000 homes were destroyed in the bushfires and people from these homes have found short-term solutions such as renting, public housing, temporary villages or staying with friends and family,” Mr Landy said.

“In most cases, temporary accommodation will be required for at least 12 months, but for many this will stretch out to 18 months or two years,” Mr Landy said.

“These people are suffering extreme hardship because they have to find additional money for rent, are living in unfamiliar surroundings, are incurring extra costs for essential services and travel and can often suffer from social isolation.”

Homeowners who have previously received a destroyed homes payment and are in need will automatically have the additional support paid directly into their bank accounts in the coming week.

People whose homes were being built at the time of the bushfires and were damaged or destroyed and are facing financial hardship as a result, will also receive assistance from the Appeal Fund.

Payments of up to $35,000 will be paid to homeowners whose sole properties were under construction and at ‘lock-up’ stage and was damaged or destroyed by the bushfires. Payments of up to $25,000 will be paid to homeowners whose homes were under construction but not yet at ‘lock-up’ stage.

Mr Landy said that owners of a sole residential home destroyed or damaged in the bushfires, which was not their primary place of residence, will receive the same level of support as those whose primary place of residence was affected.

“We have several cases where an individual or a family owned a house in one of these areas, but rented a house in Melbourne due to personal or work circumstances,” Mr Landy said.

“People in this category are now eligible for the $50,000 lump sum and up to $50,000 needs-based payment if the house was destroyed, and the $15,000 lump sum and up to $20,000 needs-based payment if the house was damaged.”

Mr Landy also announced further assistance for renters and tenants.

“A lump sum payment of $5000 is now available to individuals or couples who rented a room in a property that was their primary place of residence and was destroyed,” he said.

“Earlier this year, the Panel also approved a $15,000 payment to tenants whose primary place of residence was destroyed to help replace contents and goods.

“Recognising the difficulty many of these tenants face making the transition into the current real estate market, each tenant (per household) will now receive an additional payment to help with the transition into a new dwelling.”

Grants of $5000 will be available for a household of up to two people and $7500 for households with three or more people.

Tenants who have previously received the $15,000 payment and are in need will automatically have the additional support paid directly into their bank accounts in the coming week.

Mr Brumby said the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund’s assistance would ensure everyone who had lost or suffered damage to their home would have financial support.

“More than 2000 homes were lost in the fires and we want to ensure all those people affected are supported, no matter what their circumstances,” Mr Brumby said.

“Victorians and people from across Australia and the world have donated generously through Red Cross to the Bushfire Appeal Fund and I congratulate Mr Landy and his panel for deciding on assistance that reflects the generosity and compassion in which these funds were donated.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction Bill Shorten said it was vital that Victorians and Australians continued to stand by people impacted by the fires.

“We have pledged to stand by communities affected by the bushfires and we will rebuild these communities. The grants announced by the Bushfire Appeal Fund today, together with other assistance available, will go a long way towards helping people get back on their feet and move forward to recover and rebuild,” Mr Shorten said.

Donations to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund topped $372 million. To date, more than $124 million has been paid directly to bushfire-affected people, with a further $100 million allocated.

The Bushfire Appeal Fund Advisory Panel continues to look at the level of support needed by individuals and communities and new types payments are regularly made available.

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/premier/bushfire-appeal-fund-assistance-for-homeowners.html