Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island fire victims left waiting for vital recovery grants
Many bushfire survivors are still grappling with the eligibility criteria of some grants, sparking criticism they are too narrow and lacking flexibility.
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Hundreds of South Australians affected by devastating bushfires at Kangaroo Island and Cudlee Creek are still waiting for grants and loan payments to be processed.
More than $10 million has so far been awarded to 3400 South Australian applicants across five recovery programs.
But many bushfire survivors are still grappling with the eligibility criteria of some grants, sparking criticism they are too narrow and lacking flexibility.
The Federal Government’s $2 billion recovery fund has also come under scrutiny, with a Senate Estimates hearing told this week that only $380 million of it has been spent nationally.
New SA grant figures reveal:
$1.5m was shared between 274 applicants from the SA Bushfire Appeal.
$1.4m was shared between 170 residents from the KI Mayoral Fund.
$1.6m worth of personal hardship grants have been awarded to 2857 applicants.
$4.7m worth of primary producer grants have been awarded to 72 applicants.
$960,000 has gone to 35 small businesses.
But more than 370 applications are yet to be processed across the five schemes.
Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie has raised concerns about the approval rates for the primary producer and small business loans in SA.
“There were hundreds of properties affected by fire on KI and Cudlee Creek,” she said. “To have only 116 applications reflects the fact that most landholders recognise they are probably not eligible because the criteria for primary producers is quite narrow.”
Assistant Finance Minister Zed Seselja said the Federal Government was working with the states and wanted grant programs to “move more quickly”.
“We are certainly encouraging the states to make sure they’re able to process them as quickly as possible, but we are not responsible for the processing of those applications,” he said.
The Advertiser last month revealed Mount Barker Council had been overlooked for recovery funding but was later promised $1.4 million in federal funding to help rebuild.
But the council’s chief executive, Andrew Stuart, voiced his frustration at a lack of vital bushfire recovery funding during a council meeting on Monday night.
He said it was disheartening that the council had still not received its $1.4 million grant, which it applied for in January.
A South Australian Human Services Department spokesman said under Commonwealth guidelines, the council was subject to an audit before a payment could be made.
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese this week called on the Federal Government to subsidise wages of people affected by bushfires, saying small businesses in the Adelaide Hills and on KI needed support.
But SA Small Business Commissioner John Chapman said the grants and concessional loans should be processed first.
Mr Chapman encouraged small businesses owners who had any concerns to contact his office.
Battery offer to fire victims
Residents rebuilding homes destroyed in the Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Flat bushfires are being offered a free solar home battery.
State Government Energy Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the initiative would provide ongoing benefits for bushfire victims. “People who lost their homes in the fires need a helping hand to re-establish themselves and a battery worth more than $10,000 will reduce their future electricity bills while adding value to their new home,” he said.
“Installing a battery as part of the rebuild will help make bushfire victims’ new homes more sustainable ... and allow them to access cheaper electricity.” But to be eligible, Premier Steven Marshall said all 188 families would need to include solar panels in their rebuild.