Media Release

St.George, part of the Westpac Group has today activated a Flood Support Fund of up to $10 million to provide emergency grants for customers and employees in flood-affected areas across New South Wales and South-East Queensland.

The Westpac Group Flood Support Fund, available to St.George retail and business customers will provide access to grants for customers and employees with significant damage to their home or business as a result of the recent severe weather events.

$5,000 re-open grants for businesses

Business customers can access grants of $5,000 to assist with the recovery and re-opening process, including repairing damage and helping with costs like the loss of equipment and stock.

 

$3,000 emergency grants for households

Employees and customers in flood-affected areas can access grants of $3,000 to help with costs for essential items and services.

“The recent severe weather events have impacted tens of thousands of residents, and caused devastation to homes, farms and businesses across New South Wales and Queensland,” said Ross Miller, General Manager, St.George Bank.

 

“We are providing up to $10 million in funding to enable our customers and employees to access grants to assist them with purchasing items and services that will help them get through this challenging time.

“This is just the beginning of the long recovery process for many Australian families. These grants give our impacted customers and employees one less thing to worry about as they start to get back on their feet,” he said.

St.George has also released its emergency assistance package to customers and businesses in flood-affected areas in New South Wales and South-East Queensland.

Customers who need assistance can contact St.George Assist on 1800 629 795 to discuss their individual needs and circumstances.

More information about the support available for customers impacted is available online at https://www.stgeorge.com.au/about/sustainability-and-community/disaster-relief

For emergency assistance in storms and floods, contact the NSW or Queensland State Emergency Service on 132 500 or call 000 (triple zero) for life-threatening emergencies.

Eligibility criteria for consumer customers:

• Aged 18 years or over and reside in a flood-affected postcode in New South Wales or South-East Queensland.
• Current St.George customers who have banked with St.George on or before 20 March 2021 and hold at least one active account.
• Have experienced severe impact to their primary place of residence caused by or as a result of the floods (rent or own) – meaning that the property is no longer in a liveable condition.
• One grant per household (a household is defined as a residential address).
• Applies to primary residences as per St.George Bank’s customer records on 20 March 2021.

Eligibility criteria for Business Customers¹

• Aged 18 years or over and conduct business in a flood-affected postcode in New South Wales or South-East Queensland.
• Current St.George Bank customers with a business trading/transaction account opened on or before 20 March 2021, with the business currently in operation.
• Have experienced significant damage to, or destruction of, income-producing assets as a result of the floods. This could include business premises, equipment and loss of stock or livestock but not loss of income.
• One grant per business customer group.

^{[1] The initial release (issued 24 March 2021) noted that business customers required minimum total business lending limits of $250,000 per customer group to access the business grants. This requirement was removed on 31 March 2021 to extend eligibility to more businesses.}