Bushfires: Scott Morrison doubles family assistance payment for disaster victims

Parents will receive an additional $400 per child from next Monday as part of the government’s boost to financial relief.

Minister for Families Anne Ruston and Scott Morrison. Picture: Getty Images

Scott Morrison has doubled the family assistance payment for those affected by bushfires, with parents to receive an extra $400 a child from next Monday as part of the government’s boost to financial relief.

The Prime Minister on Wednesday revealed that several schemes, including the child payment, had been tweaked as the government seeks to simplify and improve the way fin­ancial aid is rolled out amid a horror bushfire season.

It comes after welfare groups, including the Australian Council of Social Service, raised concerns that the disaster cash recovery ­payment had not been increased in 14 years. “Right now, it is all about focusing on the basics ­people need right now, and that is where our fiscal and financial ­effort is being targeted and directed and where our focus as a government, together with the state governments, is so strong,” Mr Morrison said in Canberra.

There will be no substantiation requirement for payments of up to $200 a day.

“I think it will be a good shot in the arm for those primary producers and farmers especially, who are already dealing with the fact they don’t have an income at the moment and they are fighting back out and they’re also fighting the fires,” Mr Morrison said.

“The last thing I want them to do is running around getting bits of paperwork.”

He said families would not need to reapply to receive the extra payment, which will land in the bank accounts of the parents of ­almost 20,000 children from next Monday.

“I would let you know that we are also going to provide an additional $400 under the disaster recovery payments for every child who has already received that ­initial $400 in any family.”

Mr Morrison said the change was expected to cost an extra $7.9m, but the amount would not be capped.

As part of his announcement, Mr Morrison said volunteer firefighters would no longer have to provide paperwork if applying for compensation of up to $200 a day for loss of income during time spent fighting blazes.

However, volunteer firefighters will still need to substantiate claims with a pay slip if seeking above $200 and up to $300.

The payments are currently capped at $6000.

Mr Morrison was joined at the announcement by Minister for Families and Social Services Anne Ruston, who said the extra $50m cash injection announced on Wednesday would serve a dual purpose.

“First of all, providing the basics to individuals to assist them as they rebuild their lives, rebuild their families, rebuild their houses and make sure they’ve got the ­basics of food on the table, clothes on their back and are able to access accommodation while they rebuild,” Senator Ruston said.

“But it’s also to assist in a more rapid recovery for our regions by making sure that we support the regional economies, by making sure this $50m or the majority of it is spent within those regional communities.”

It comes after Labor leader ­Anthony Albanese had lashed out at unnecessary red tape faced by bushfire victims seeking assistance during an earlier press conference in Melbourne on Wednesday.

“It should never have been the case that people who have been impacted by the fires were told, ‘No, you’re not in the right area ­because the maps are wrong’,” Mr ­Albanese said before Mr Morrison’s announcement.

Disaster recovery grants of up to $75,000 for farmers have also been adjusted.

The program has been expanded to include major assets such as fences or vehicles to help those whose homes weren’t ­damaged or destroyed.

A total of $40m will go to the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul, with $10m for the National Debt Hotline.

ACOSS applauded the federal government’s move but again called for the Newstart allowance to be raised, saying it had not been increased in real terms in 25 years.

“Increasing Newstart will get people through tough times and provide needed economic stimulus, especially in regional communities struggling with high unemployment, likely to be made worse in those affected by the bushfire crisis,” ACOSS chief Cassandra Goldie said.