FOLLOWING any natural disaster, getting aid - especially financial assistance - to everyone in need can be a challenging task.
Given the scale of this summer's bushfire crisis, the task seems even more difficult, even though Australians have dug deep and donated generously to bushfire appeals and relevant charities.
The first step is to ensure those affected are aware of the assistance on offer. They then need to evaluate what they may or may not be eligible for.
In some cases - such as the $75,000 primary producer recovery grants the state government will be distributing on behalf of the federal government - the eligibility criteria took quite a while to be determined.
Once this is done, the application process still takes time, as does the processing by government agencies or charities. Most charities would not be staffed to process applications as quickly as they would like, given number of requests flooding in.
Related reading: Grant eligibility criteria requires transparency
Finding a way to distribute aid as quickly as possible after a disaster, while simultaneously ensuring any fraudulent requests are identified and blocked is no easy task. How do we find a balance between being quick and being thorough?
It's difficult to fathom, but there are those among us who attempt to benefit from such awful events.
Locally there have been reports of scammers calling Cudlee Creek fire victims, pretending to be a bank seeking their customer's banking details so they can pass on disaster relief funds.
One woman has also been arrested and charged with deception for allegedly lying about being a bushfire victim to claim donations.
In NSW and Vic there have been reports of fraudulent fundraising campaigns seeking public donations to fund funerals for fire victims. Unfortunately, it's often been the grieving families who have brought these scams to light and warned others not to donate.
What is wrong with some people? How anyone can see the horrific damage caused by recent bushfires and see an opportunity for personal gain rather than complete and utter devastation and heartbreak is beyond me.
- If you have come across a bushfire-related scam, report it by ringing the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission's special hotline on 1300 795 995.
