Residents in the Pomonal area who have been significantly impacted by recent fires in Western Victoria will be able to apply for the Australian Government’s Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) from 2pm tomorrow (Wednesday 21 February).

Available for people who suffered serious damage or injury as a result of the bushfires, eligible residents can receive $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child to help with the immediate costs of recovery.

Residents will be able to check their eligibility on the Services Australia website and the quickest way to claim a payment will be online through myGov.

If people need help to claim, they can call the Australian Government Emergency information line on 180 22 66 between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. If they want to speak to someone in their language, they can also call the Centrelink multilingual phone service on 131 202.

The federal payment builds on disaster assistance measures jointly funded with the Victorian Government, which are already available in areas impacted by the fires and February 13 storms:

• Personal Hardship Assistance Payments to replace food, clothing and medication, and help with the cost of temporary accommodation.
• Prolonged Power Outage Payments for residents affected by widespread power outages.
• Support to councils to undertake Counter Disaster Operations, make communities safe and repair essential public assets.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Government Services, the Hon Bill Shorten:
“The AGDRP supports those who have experienced the worst this event has to offer get through tough times by helping to replace some essential items that were lost.

“It’s really important that we activate this assistance and support people in this critical phase, and people should visit the Services Australia website to check their eligibility.

“If you experience any difficulties or need help with a claim, Services Australia staff are able to assist. You can call 180 22 66 between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday to speak with a staff member."

Quotes attributable to Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt:

“The Pomonal community has been hit hard by these fires and my heart goes out to the people and families whose homes have been lost.

“We know that this is a really stressful time as people return to the community to assess the damage, which is why we have made this support payment available.

“This immediate financial boost will ensure residents can buy food, clothes and other essentials which may have been lost or misplaced. We will continue working with the Allan Government on what else might be needed to help get this tightknit community back on their feet.”