Disaster Assistance
The ACT Government is responsible for ensuring that adequate measures are taken to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and assist recovery from natural disasters and other emergencies.
To support relief and recovery, the ACT Government provides a diverse range of financial and non-financial assistance measures through the ACT Recovery Sub-Plan and Disaster Assistance Guidelines.
In addition to assistance from the ACT Government, the Australian Government provides various recovery assistance measures following disasters. People affected by a disaster could expect to receive both Australian and ACT Government assistance.
About the Disaster Assistance Guidelines
The purpose of these Guidelines is to outline assistance measures available to aid immediate recovery from a disaster. Disaster assistance, coupled with recovery services, charitable contributions, non-profit and community efforts, and the existing social safety net, helps protect vulnerable people, maintains social cohesion, and supports affected individuals, organisations and businesses.
Government assistance is not intended as a substitute for appropriate insurance arrangements or other appropriate strategies for disaster mitigation. Insurance arrangements are the most important provider of financial assistance following a disaster. Households, organisations and businesses are taking serious risks if they choose to not insure, as assistance will only be available for eligible events.
The principles that inform these Guidelines are:
Assistance is an emergency helping hand for those in need, rather than to provide compensation for losses or restore lifestyles to their pre-disaster standard.
Disaster assistance should complement and provide incentive, wherever possible, to promote the principle of resilience.
Recovery is a shared responsibility. Assistance is not to supplant, or operate as a disincentive for, selfâhelp by way of insurance arrangements and/or other appropriate strategies for disaster mitigation.