FAMILIES who lost loved ones in the Black Saturday bushfires and are suffering financial hardship will continue to be financially supported, with a $14 million package from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund.
Appeal Fund chair Pat McNamara and Premier John Brumby announced $10.9 million for a Compassionate Financial Support scheme to assist those who lost immediate family in the fires, along with $3 million to provide higher education scholarships to young people affected by the fires.
Under the Compassionate Financial Support package immediate family members of the 173 people who tragically died in the Black Saturday fires and are in financial hardship as a result, may be eligible to receive an immediate grant of $25,000.
Some individuals who are suffering extreme financial hardship may then be eligible for a further needs-based payment of up to $50,000. Mr McNamara said the support for the immediate family of the bereaved recognised that some families lost their primary breadwinner or had reduced capacity to earn an income because of trauma suffered after the Black Saturday fires.
"You can never compensate someone for losing a husband, a wife, a child or a parent," Mr McNamara said.
"This new scheme recognises that many people who lost loved ones in the bushfires are not only suffering emotional distress, but have in some cases been faced with large debts and little capacity to address that situation.
"It is about trying to alleviate some of the anxiety associated with the financial hardship some of these people face and helps to assist in the long-term recovery process."
Immediate family members, such as spouses and parents, who received the initial $10,000 payment as part of the $1.7 million Compassion and Bereavement package earlier this year to assist with urgent and immediate costs may be eligible for the Compassionate Financial Support. In cases where the family lost more than one family member, a single payment will be made but the Fund will consider special circumstances for additional support on a case-by-case basis.
Children and young adults who lost one or both parents in the bushfires are already being supported through the Bereaved Children payment.
The Bereaved Children grants support 20 children under the age of 18 and 28 young adults aged 18 to 26 with areas such as housing, lost possessions, education and counselling.
"There will be many people who will not be eligible, but are no doubt suffering because of their loss," Mr McNamara said.
"However, the Panel felt it was important and appropriate to assist those most directly impacted by the loss. We feel this is the best way to reflect the intent of the donors who gave an unprecedented $386 million to the Fund.
"Under the new $3 million Scholarship Program, scholarships of $15,000 per year will be provided for 66 students from towns and communities directly impacted by the fires who are financially constrained to undertake tertiary or vocational education from 2010 and beyond."
Member for Seymour Ben Hardman was pleased that the support scheme also includes a scholarship program for affected students to continue their studies.The scholarships will assist those students whose current financial capacity to undertake tertiary study is limited and who have the academic performance and ability to complete their chosen course of study.
Further scholarships for students currently in years 10 and 11 will be considered by the Appeal Fund in coming months. Mr Brumby said the scholarships would encourage more students in bushfire-affected areas to undertake tertiary education by assisting them with costs such as textbooks, transport, living and other expenses.
"This latest decision strikes the right balance between targeting support to where it is needed most and reflecting the generosity in which the funds were donated," Mr Brumby said.
"These scholarships will provide more young people with a great opportunity to consider taking their studies further and alleviate the financial burden that may have been impacting on their decisions about their plans for 2010.
"The Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund has raised $387 million and $357 million has been allocated. A further $30 million is yet to be allocated with the Fund’s focus now on initiatives that support communities to rebuild.
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Bushfire Fund supports bereaved families
