Australian Disaster
Relief Project
ABN 79 420 690 128
Disaster relief projects can provide assistance to Australians who are affected by a disaster (as declared by the Treasury Minister). Funds received by the project can be used in a myriad of ways: to provide grief counselling to victims, help communities rebuild after a disaster, provide grants to primary producers, transport or store donated goods, organise and host community building events and many other avenues (see below for more ideas).
The disaster must be have been declared as a disaster by a Treasury minister or a state or territory minister
Donations must be made within two years of the disaster being declared
Before setting up a Disaster Relief project with QLG, you will need to consider the following:
1. Is there already a project or appeal in operation for this specific disaster?
LCAQD and QLG work together to get the general public appeal process in motion as fast as possible after a disaster is declared. That being said, you may have identified a specific area or need within your community related to the disaster, and wish to set up a project for that particular area.
The QLD Government often has immediate hardship assistance available in the first few days following a disaster; however the effects of a disaster can be long-reaching and continue well beyond the initial days and weeks following the disaster.
2. Who will be your responsible person on the ground?
The responsible person will need to assess everyone who applies for relief from your project, and will liaise with the Mission and Ministry Department of the LCAQD to make sure that funds go where they are most needed.
How can Disaster Relief funds be used?
- Grief counselling: for both the victims of the disaster, and their immediate family members Ieven if they are not in the affected area
- Giving assistance to businesses: as a means of relieving distress by re-establishing a community (any assistance to business must have a charitable purpose)
- Providing grants to primary producers for damaged infrastructure: mainly for urgent repair or replacement of fencing where fences border public land (such as public roads), as it may be a matter of public safety and community welfare to repair or replace the fences quickly.
- Community building events: funding local social events or award presentations to assist in relieving distress from a disaster
- Transport or store donated goods
- Helping community organisations rebuild after a disaster: repair and construction on aged persons homes, halls, churches and schools; or replacing disaster-damaged equipment used by charities
- Preventing further danger from the disaster: building retaining walls, securing structures to limit damage from aftershocks (following an earthquake), preventing the spread of disease after a flood, fire-proofing or back-burning to prevent further outbreaks
- Rehabilitation of public gardens or reserves
- Providing money for a commemorative memorial
- Funding education and disaster training: to educate the community about reducing the impact of a disaster and how to respond in a disaster, this can often help to relieve people's distress as they know how to plan for the future
- Funding the removal of debris
- Helping owners meet their responsibilities for any animals in their care following a disaster
An example of an Australian Disaster Relief Project could be...
The Woolloongabba Mens Shed group watched the waters rise over Grantham and the South Burnett belt, with some of their parishioners having moved there in recent years. As the Qld Government officially declared the floods a disaster, the devastation became more and more apparent.
The Chairman of the Woolloongabba Mens Shed group approached QLG to set up a project to help rebuild the community hall and sports centre, as this was identified as part of the lifeblood of the Grantham community. QLG set up a project within the Australian Disaster Relief Fund and the Woolloongabba community was able to mobilise their donation drive, providing tax deductible donation receipts to donors immediately.
The funds raised were held by the project, and the mayor of Grantham nominated a local building company to begin the reconstruction of the community hall. Many of the members of the Mens Shed group also journeyed out to Grantham to help with the rebuild. Building costs and invoices were paid from the fund using the donations given by the Woolloongabba community, and mere months after the initial devastation, a charity basketball game was played in the new sports and recreation centre.