Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Premier Jacinta Allan made their way to Harcourt today as the extent of the destruction continues to unfold.

“My message to Victorians is straightforward: We are here to support you, not just throughout this crisis, but also during the recovery phase,” Albanese assured.

“We’ll collaborate closely with the government to ensure we provide what’s necessary for people and communities to recover after this challenging time,” he added.

Premier Allan highlighted the community’s sense of loss.

“This is just the beginning of the support for communities hit by the fires… we recognize that the recovery process will be lengthy,” she stated.

Albanese announced today that his administration is rolling out financial aid through the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) for those impacted by the bushfires in Victoria.

Albanese today said his government was activating financial assistance through the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) for people in areas affected by Victoria’s bushfires.

From 2pm on Wednesday, January 14, the payment will be available for eligible people in Barkers Creek, Harcourt, Harcourt North, Longwood, Longwood East, Natimuk, Ravenswood South, Ruffy and Sutton Grange.

AGDRP helps those who have suffered the most serious impacts, including major damage to their home, serious injury, or loss of a loved one as a result of the bushfires.

It’s a one-off payment of $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per child.

This support comes on top of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) announced yesterday by the Albanese and Allan governments.

That support, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and state governments, is to help households, small businesses, primary producers and councils impacted by fires that began on January 7.

Support for Strathbogie, Towong, Mansfield and Murrindindi shires includes assistance with the establishment and running of emergency relief centres, personal and financial counselling, removal of debris from residential properties to make them safe and habitable, restoration of essential public assets, and counter disaster operations.

The assistance may also be extended to other local government areas as the disaster unfolds, the governments said.

Emergency relief assistance is also available for eligible people who have had their home damaged or destroyed by the fires, or their home was in an evacuation warning area and they have had to evacuate.

Assistance under the program includes a one-off payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child, up to a maximum of $2380 per eligible family, to help cover the costs of essentials like food, clothing, medication and accommodation.

To reiterate, the one-off payment from the AGDRP is $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per child.

The DRFA is a one-off payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child, up to a maximum of $2380 per eligible family.

If people need help to claim, they can call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66.