Archived Grant Opportunity View - GO3810

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements has been established to inquire and make recommendations on government coordination of, response to and arrangements for dealing with national natural disasters.

Legal financial assistance may be provided to an entity, including an individual, for their reasonable legal representation and disbursement costs resulting from:

• being called, or granted leave to appear, as a witness at a hearing of the Royal Commission, or

• being requested to attend, or attending an interview of the Royal Commission, or

• being requested to provide or complying with a notice to give information or a written statement that will be used as evidence of the Royal Commission, or

• complying with a notice to produce issued by the Royal Commission, and

• where the entity, excluding an individual, would not able to meet these costs without incurring serious financial hardship.

An 'entity' can be a person who is a volunteer or former volunteer of a state or territory fire or emergency service who is not representing that organisation.

If your organisation has been called by the Royal Commission, the organisation will be subject to an assessment of whether it can meet the cost of its legal representation without incurring serious financial difficulty. If you have been called in your personal capacity, you will be exempt from an assessment of financial circumstances.

Completed applications will be assessed within 21 days. Incomplete applications will not be assessed. You will be notified if your application is incomplete and requested to provide missing information.

If you receive less than 21 days' notice of appearing or attending an interview at the Royal Commission, the department will try to assess your application before the date of your appearance.

How are payments made

If a grant is approved, the department will only pay after the work has been performed and a claim has been made to the department. The Commonwealth Assessment of Costs (2012) sets the maximum amount that the department can pay under grants.

$750,154.00

All documents are in GO Documents.

Complete and email the application form to finass@ag.gov.au with the required attachments.

If you cannot email your application, call Legal Financial Assistance Casework Section on 02 6141 4770 or 1800 117 995 between 8.30am – 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.

For those with hearing or speech impairment, contact the National Relay Service and give 02 6141 4770 as the number you wish to call.

Financial Information – Organisation

The organisation must provide details of its financial circumstances, including all income and assets. Supporting documentation, such as bank statements, latest tax assessments and/or annual financial statements should be attached to the application. All information provided to the department is treated in confidence.

Legal framework

The Commonwealth Guidelines for Legal Financial Assistance 2012 establish the Royal Commission and Inquiries scheme, and the operation of the Guidelines is modified by the Commonwealth Guidelines for Legal Financial Assistance 2012: Addendum for the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.

Other assistance

 ·  Royal Commission website

 ·  Royal Commission telephone: 1800 909 826

 ·  Email: rcnda.enquiries@royalcommission.gov.au

For welfare or general enquiries about bushfire recovery efforts:

·  Lifeline 24 hour bushfire recovery support line on 13 HELP (13 43 57), or

·  National Bushfire Recovery Agency lists key emergency contacts and support entities.

If you feel you or someone you know is at risk of harm to themselves or others, please call:

·  Lifeline Crisis Support on 13 11 14 (24 hours/7 days),

·  Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, or

·  In an emergency, call 000.