Disaster payments for eligible New Zealand visa holders 

This measure extends the existing arrangement to provide disaster recovery payments available to Australian residents - to eligible New Zealand citizens and supports the intent of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by the Australian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and New Zealand NEMA, which recognises the need to strengthen emergency cooperation between the two countries.

Purpose

The Australian Government recognises eligible New Zealanders living in Australia may need support as they recover from the impacts of disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for these payments?

To be eligible for relevant disaster recovery payments, NZ visa holders need to show they have paid tax in Australia for at least one of the past three years, or will be within 12 months. They must also meet the eligibility criteria for the specific recovery payments. These details are available on the Services Australia website.

How can NZ visa holders access payments?

Payments are administered by Services Australia. More information on payments is available on the Services Australia website.