Bendigo and Adelaide Bank’s Bushfire Emergency Support

For customers and communities the Bank has announced:

A dedicated bushfire financial assistance package

• The package includes discounted interest rates, fee waivers, and other concessions – and is available for all Bendigo and Adelaide Bank customers across Australia. Full details are available here.
• Bendigo Bank Insurance customers with a damaged home, rental building, car or other property can contact the Bank on 13 24 80 to obtain claim assistance or advice.
• The Bank’s agribusiness specialist, Rural Bank is also providing a range of disaster assistance measures and will be working with impacted farming customers to understand their individual circumstances and apply the most effective means of support as they take the first steps towards recovery. Customers are advised to speak with their Relationship Manager, contact our customer service team on 1300 660 115 or visit Rural Bank.

A national Bushfire Disaster Appeal

• Bendigo Bank has launched a national Bushfire Disaster Appeal in partnership with The Salvation Army to help those devastated by bushfires across Australia.
• One hundred percent of funds donated to the Appeal will be directed to communities affected across the country.
• Conducted by the Bank’s charitable arm, Community Enterprise Foundation™, all Appeal donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. Donors can also nominate the geographical location they would like to direct their funds to.
• Funds raised will be directed to immediate relief efforts, but also the medium to longer term recovery for families and communities. Decisions on what the funds will be spent on will be informed by local communities, who are best placed to know how to best utilise funds raised, for the longer-term recovery and rebuild.
• Since its establishment on 3 January 2020, as at 9am on 9 January, the national Bushfire Disaster Appeal has generated donations in excess of $18 million, courtesy of more than 120,000 donors. More information about the Appeal is available here.
• The Bank is partnering with the Victorian State Government for recovery efforts across the State of Victoria, to ensure the Appeal works alongside government investment and recovery program. The Victorian Bushfire Disaster Appeal will be overseen by a panel of community and disaster recovery experts and work closely with the newly announced Victorian Bushfire Recovery agency.
• The Bank has also made its own financial donation to the national Bushfire Disaster Appeal and has waived the five percent administration fee normally associated with Appeal donations to ensure all funds donated reach affected communities.
• Disaster recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. The funds generated by the Bushfire Disaster Appeal will be just the one step on a long road to recovery for affected communities. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank stands ready to work with all organisations and agencies capable of assisting those communities adversely impacted by these fires in the weeks, months and years to come.

For partners, the Bank is offering:

Community Bank Network Support

• The Bank’s national Community Bank network, which has a proven history of supporting local communities nationwide, is also contributing funds to support impacted communities nationwide.
• The Community Bank network is rallying to contribute funds to the Appeal and is reaching out to support Community Banks in fire impacted communities. The network is also planning for longer term projects to build disaster resilience and recovery into each of their communities.

Third party partner support

• We are also proactively working with our partners to ensure all customers who hold a relationship with the Bank through a third-party arrangement are aware of the assistance options available to them.

As with any disaster response, the community need will extend well beyond the immediate focus – the Bank’s branch and Community Bank network are well placed to support these local communities for the recovery they are facing. Our agribusiness customers are being supported on an individual basis, ensuring support is designed specifically for their needs, for both the immediate relief and the longer-term sustainability of their operations. This is being delivered via our Rural Bank Relationship Managers.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is firmly focused on ensuring all communities devastated by bushfires across Australia receive the necessary level of support and expertise to respond to this unprecedented disaster.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank is offering the following for its people:

Natural Disaster and Community Service Leave 

• Staff who are involved in a natural disaster or community service activities can take Natural Disaster and Community Service Leave.
• The Bank is encouraging staff to plan any volunteering with recovery organisations for both the immediate needs, but also over the next six to twelve months, when communities will be out of the emergency situation and facing many challenging tasks.
• They do not need to take their own leave entitlements (personal, annual or long service leave) when they are impacted by a natural disaster or if they are volunteering for community and emergency services activities.
• Every individual’s circumstance is different in these situations and there is no minimum or maximum amount of Natural Disaster and Community Service Leave specified in our policy.
• Paid or unpaid leave and top-up pay options are available depending on the individual employee’s personal situation.

Media Contacts

Simon Fitzgerald
Head of Public Relations
0427 460 046

Julian Liston
Public Relations Manager
0427 689 700

Kevin Daly
Public Relations Manager
0431 995 041