UNICEF Australia is calling for an increase in Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payments for families affected by extreme weather disasters, which it says are five years behind inflation.
At present, the payments for families impacted by disasters such as flood, bushfire and cyclone are $400 per child, while UNICEF Australia recommends an increase to $480 per child.
Katie Maskiell, Head of Policy and Advocacy for UNICEF Australia, says the payments for children have not been reviewed since 2020, putting undue financial strain on families at an already incredibly difficult time.
In addition, UNICEF Australia is calling for a national disaster framework for children and young people that would ensure consistency in access to supports and resources during the preparation, response and recovery stages.
“Since 2020 Australia has experienced significant inflation and when families are already experiencing hardship, we must ensure payments that are intended to help them recover from a disaster can stretch far enough.
“UNICEF Australia’s interaction with children and families who have experienced flood or bushfire indicates that the impacts of such traumatic events can last for years afterward. For decades, UNICEF’s work in emergencies around the world has shown restoring a sense of normalcy to children’s lives as quickly as possible after a disaster is critical to their recovery and resilience in the years to come.
“Disaster payments are an essential support for families when facing one of the toughest moments in their lives, and we must ensure they are in line with need and inflation,” Ms Maskiell said.
This would include:
- Fortifying children’s mental resilience through disaster preparedness education, to sustain them through the immediate impact of a disaster
- Ensuring there are safe spaces for play in evacuation centres; and some provisions for them to continue schooling if needed
- Age-appropriate mental health support in the recovery phase
Ms Maskiell said while there are some supports for children and young people in place, these vary widely depending on the community services that already exist where you live.
“Children should be supported through a disaster. A national framework would provide a best practice structure for states to implement and help them and their families more easily navigate the chaos that occurs when a disaster happens.
“Coupled with adequate disaster recovery payments, these measures will help get families back on their feet more quickly after a disaster,” Ms Maskiell said.