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NSW bushfire royal commission live: Bushfire victim denied Red Cross grant for not having utility bill
A woman who lost her home in the bushfires was initially knocked back from Red Cross funding because she couldn't provide a utility bill, the Royal Commission has heard. It comes as experts told the Commission climate change is leading to hotter and drier droughts. LIVE UPDATES
Charles Sturt University Professor Sue Townsend has told the Royal Commission that she was initially knocked back from the Red Cross bushfire grant for not being able to provide a utility bill after her home burned down.
The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements has commenced a two-week hearing in Canberra on Monday.
Professor Townsend has told the Royal Commission that she was frustrated with the way she received support, after the Red Cross initially denied her application.
"The Red Cross was very interesting, we applied for the Red Cross money when it was … I think it was ten thousand in the first round, and we applied for that and got knocked back because we didn't have any utility bills," Professor Townsend said.
"I spoke to a person on the phone saying this is ridiculous, your house is burning down the last thing you think is to grab a utility bill, and they got really annoyed with me and it wasn't a pleasant conversation," she said.
Professor Townsend said when she was eventually approved for her second application, the money came in fast after media uncovered the Red Cross was not funneling all the donations to victims..
"They said to us it would take two to three weeks to be assessed, within a week because the media had hit about the Red Cross not handing out funds and people being desperate, it went into our bank within days and it was $20 thousand," Professor Townsend said.
The ‘Black Summer’ bushfires killed 33 people, destroyed more than 3000 homes and burnt about 12 million hectares across Australia.
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Originally published as NSW bushfire royal commission live: Bushfire victim denied Red Cross grant for not having utility bill