A range of grants is available to help you with your recovery. If you’re struggling to navigate your options you can speak with a team member at your Local Recovery Centre.

If you need help with financial decisions after a bushfire, visit the moneysmart.gov.au dealing with natural disasters website for advice.

SA Business Information Hub

The SA Business Information Hub provides information, advice and support for businesses impacted by bushfires and COVID-19.

National Debt Helpline

Free financial counselling is available by contacting the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007. You can receive free, independent and confidential advice to help you manage your debts or negotiate with creditors. The service does not provide investment advice or recommend products, or receive commissions.

Small business owners and sole traders can also access free financial counselling by calling the  Small Business Bushfire Counselling Support Line on 1800 413 828. You can speak with a financial counsellor about your options. The service is non-judgmental, free, independent and confidential.

Assistance for individuals/families

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Assistance for primary producers

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Assistance for business owners

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Assistance for groups/organisations

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Re-establishment grants (SA government)

How much: Up to $20,000

Who it is for: To help people who are uninsured, and whose principal residence (home) has been damaged by bushfire, to repair bushfire-damaged homes or replace essential household items.

Find out more:

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Recovery grants for small business (SA government)

How much: Up to $50,000

Who it is for: Small businesses affected by the bushfires for immediate costs associated with clean-up, restoration and rebuilding.

Find out more:

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Emergency Response in Primary Industries Grant (SA government)

How much: Up to $75,000

Who it is for: Primary producers affected by the bushfires to assist with the immediate costs of rebuilding and recovery.

Find out more:

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SA Bushfire Appeal - Community Strength and Resilience Initiative

Who it is for: Non-profit community groups and organisations for projects that address local needs and issues in affected communities.

Applications open Monday 17 August 2020

Find out more:

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Equestrian Fire Relief Australia grants

How much: Up to $15,000

Who it is for: All equestrians, including individuals and not-for-profit clubs and associations, to repair or replace items that were damaged or lost in the fire.

Applications open 1 September and close 30 September.

Find out more:

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Youth Education and Workplace Pathways grants

How much: $3,000

Who it is for: Young people (aged 15-25) in bushfire affected communities across Australia to support their educational development and further their workplace aspirations.

Find out more:

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Concessional loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations

How much: Concessional loan of up to $500,000

Who it is for: Eligible businesses to restore and replace assets and property that have been significantly damaged in the fires.

These loans are jointly-funded by the State and Commonwealth Governments under Disaster Recovery Arrangements.

Find out more:

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Regional Tourism Bushfire Recovery grants - Regional Events (Federal Government)

How much: Up to $30,000

Who it is for: Local government authorities and regional tourism organisations operating in bushfire affected areas receiving Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) assistance.

Find out more: Austrade website

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Bushfire Assistance Grant (St George Foundation)

Who is it for: Eligible charities and organisations implementing projects that aid in long-term recovery for bushfire-affected communities, focusing on children and young people.

Find out more:

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Emergency grants for people who have lost their homes (Red Cross)

Who is it for:

  • Injury grant for people who were hospitalised due to the fires.
  • Primary residence repair grant for home owners whose homes have been structurally damaged. This includes destruction or damage to critical private water, septic and/or power infrastructure.
  • Re-establishment grant for owner-occupiers to assist with early stages of rebuilding.

Applications for all grants will be open until 31 August.

Find out more:

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Drought relief funding (St Vincent de Paul)

How much: $3000

Who it is for: Farmers, farm workers or farm suppliers/contractors impacted by the drought.

Find out more:

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Disaster recovery assistance (St Vincent de Paul)

Who is it for: You can apply for assistance if you have been affected by the SA bushfires and suffered:

  • loss of property
  • damage to outbuildings or sheds
  • loss of vehicles or machinery
  • loss of stock

Find out more:

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Bushfire Crisis Support (Indigenous Business Australia)

How much: Up to $2,000

Who it is for: Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) business finance and home loan customers directly impacted by the bushfires through loss of property or compulsory evacuation. Other support is also available.

Find out more:

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Bushfire Recovery grants (Salvation Army)

Who it is for: Bushfire-affected people in financial hardship. Grants include:

  • Hardship Recovery Grant
  • Significant-Loss Grant
  • Total Loss of Residence Grant.

Find out more:

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Small Business Support grant (loss of income - State and Commonwealth governments)

How much: $10,000

Who it is for: Small businesses in bushfire affected areas who have lost revenue of 40 per cent or more as a result.

Applications close 30 September 2020

Find out more:

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Back to Business farm support

What it is: Up to three free one-on-one sessions with a local farm management consultant

Who it is for: Red meat (sheep, goat, cattle) producers directly impacted by the bushfires

Find out more:

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NBN relief package

How much: One-off credit of up to $300

Who it is for: NBN customers who have lost their home or business in the fire. NBN customers living and/or operating a business in the fire scar are also eligible to apply for a one-off credit of up to $50.

Find out more:

  • Contact your internet service provider

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Kangaroo Island Mayoral Relief and Recovery Bushfire Fund

Category 1 – Deceased persons

How much: $20,000

Who it is for: Next of kin of the people who died in the fire.

Category 2 – Injury

How much: Up to $5,000

Who it is for: People seriously injured by the fire and who had an extended stay in hospital.

Category 3 – Destroyed homes

How much: $5,000 per eligible household plus $500 per child under 18 years of age residing at the premises.

Who it is for: Property owner/occupiers and tenants whose principal place of residence was rendered uninhabitable by the fire.

Category 4 – House and/or property damage

How much:

  • $2,000 per house/property,
  • $4,000 per property assessment number (shedding damage)
  • $2,000 per property assessment number (water tanks and pumps, fence and farm equipment damage)

Who it is for: Property owners who experienced infrastructure damage as a result of the fire to:

  • house and/or contents
  • shedding
  • water tanks and pumps
  • fencing
  • farm equipment.

The property must be within the fire footprint.

Category 5 – Business

How much: $2,000 per property

Who it is for: Households who derive an income from the affected property such as primary producers and small businesses. Sharefarmers who derive an income from the affected property will be eligible for $2,000 per property.

Category 6 – Vehicles

How much: $400 per household

Who it is for: People who experienced damage to vehicles as a result of the fire.

Find out more: Phone 8553 4560 to speak to Melissa Grimes, Governance Administration Officer

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Waiver of state government administration fees

The Government of South Australia is waiving certain fees and charges for people affected by the bushfires.

These include:

Phone Service SA on 13 10 84 or go to a Service SA Customer Service Centre for more information.

Land Services SA

Land Services SA have a Bushfire Relief Program for eligible property owners, including

  • register searches free of charge
  • registration fee relief for transfers and other related dealings.

Visit the Land Services SA website for more information.

Local council

Some councils have other waivers and fee relief programs in place. Contact your local council for more information

Taxation

The Government of South Australia is providing tax relief measures for people affected by the bushfires.

These include:

  • tax relief for the stamp duty payable on the purchase of replacement properties and motor vehicles
  • relief for 2019-2020 and 2020-21 land tax liabilities
  • a hold on the Emergency Services Levy debt collection.

Australian Tax Office (ATO) bushfire assistance

The ATO can provide a range of support options including:

  • extra time to pay your debt or lodge tax forms such as activity statements
  • help finding your lost tax file number (TFN) by using methods to verify your identity such as your date of birth, address and bank account details
  • re-issuing income tax returns, activity statements and notices of assessment
  • helping you re-construct tax records lost or damaged in the bushfire
  • prioritising any refunds you are owed
  • setting up a payment plan tailored to your circumstances including an interest-free period
  • remitting penalties or interest charged during the time you have been affected by the bushfires
  • giving you more time to meet SMSF lodgments and payment obligations
  • ability to give you a refund when you lodge, which we’d normally use to reduce or pay down a debt.

To learn more about what support you may be eligible, phone the ATO Emergency Support Infoline on 1800 806 218 or visit the ATO website for bushfire information.

Tax Help Program

Tax Help is a network of ATO-trained and accredited community volunteers who provide a free and confidential service to help people complete their tax returns online using myTax.

Eligibility criteria apply. More information is available at the ATO Tax Help website.

UniSA Tax Help Clinic

The Tax clinic at UniSA is a friendly, student-run service providing free advice from UniSA taxation students under the supervision of experienced tax professionals.

If you are an Australian resident (for tax purposes), or a small business without a tax agent, they may be able to help you.

Tax implications around grants

For income tax implications related to receiving grants, please contact the ATO.

Banks assisting bushfire-affected customers

We are aware of the following banks offering assistance to their customers. Please contact your bank for more information.

If you have lost registered motor vehicles because of the fires, you can ask for a refund of some of your Registration and Third Party Insurance fees (PDF 130KB).

If you have lost a registered boat, you can ask for a refund of the unexpired registration fee (PDF 960KB). You need to state that the boat was destroyed in a recent fire. All administration/processing fees will be waived.

Find out how to replace your documents. In major disasters some replacement fees may be waived.

Australian passports

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade may replace, free of charge, passports that have been lost or damaged in declared natural disasters. Visit the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website or phone the Australian Passport Information Service on 131 232.

Birth, death and marriage certificates

If you and your family have been affected by the 2019-20 bushfires you can access a priority service to get replacement certificates.

Replace birth, death and marriage certificates online or phone Consumer and Business Services (CBS) on 131 882 .

Certificates of title

A certificate of title is an official record of land ownership in South Australia.

Getting a copy of your certificate of title

Concession and health care cards

To replace concession and health care cards, including Medicare card, Seniors card and Pensioner concession card:

If you need your card urgently, a service centre can provide you with a temporary card.

Firearms licences and registration papers

Phone the SA Police Firearms Branch on 7322 3346 or email sapol.firearmsbranch@police.sa.gov.au.

Proof of age card

Apply for a proof of age card online.

Tenancy agreements

To obtain a copy of a tenancy agreement, contact your landlord or agent.

Seniors Card

Contact the Seniors Card Unit (free call 1800 819 961) or email seniorscard@sa.gov.au and a replacement card will be ordered for you. There is no charge for a replacement card.

When a new Seniors Card is issued, the old card will be cancelled. Any balance on your card will be automatically transferred to the new card.

Vehicle registration and licences

Phone or visit Service SA to replace a range of documents:

These documents can be replaced online:

SafeWork SA permits, licences and registration