2019-20 Bushfires Legal Aid Scheme

If you’ve been affected by a bushfire, storm or flood, we can help you with everyday legal problems including insurance claims and disputes, financial hardship, tenancy and Centrelink.

An Early Resolution Assistance (ERA) approval of $2000 in professional fees is available for legal services and up to an additional $5000 is available for disbursements. Funding extensions are available in reasonable circumstances. An eligible business or primary producer with more than one bushfire related legal matter may receive more than one approval for legal services and related expenses.

Eligible LGAs in the Northern Inland are:

• Armidale
• Glen Innes Severn
• Inverell
• Tenterfield
• Walcha

The funding is available for legal issues including, but not limited to:

• Insurance disputes
• Commercial leases
• Contract disputes
• Planning and building law
• Local Government disputes
• Entitlements to government grants and schemes
• Credit and debt
• Banking
• Fencing issues
• Property law
• Employment law issues for employers

To be eligible for funding under the Scheme, the applicant must be:

• A primary producer or small business owner.
• With a farm or business located in a designated LGA.
• With a legal issue arising from the 2019/2020 bushfire season in one of the designated LGAs.