As well as a dedicated information webpage, the NSW Business Chamber is offering employment law assistance to all bushfire affected employers on 13 29 59.
For NSW business owners in bushfire affected areas who are experiencing unique issues and are uncertain about what action to take, contact their Business Hotline on 13 26 96 for additional support regarding practical or operational issues
The NSW Business Chamber have created a website ‘Business Backs the Bush.’ Here companies of all sizes can pledge their promise to hold a board, management or staff meeting in one of the impacted areas between now and the end of 2020.
The Chamber is supporting and encouraging members to support national charity Givit.
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in conjunction with the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) has established a 12 month, $500,000 support package to assist businesses affected by the VIC bushfires.
Services provided at no cost to businesses in a VIC natural disaster declared area include:
- Mental health support
- Access to local training and business mentoring
- Access to the VCCI Workplace Relations Advice Line
- VCCI and VTIC membership fee waiver for 12 months
For further information call VCCI on 03 8662 5333
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia (CCIWA), in conjunction with the Office of Emergency Management under the All West Australians Reducing Emergencies (AWARE) grant program, has updated and published free of charge to members and non-members its Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Workbook.
Business SA has contacted its members located in Disaster Declared Areas that are bushfire-impacted offering assistance & providing existing services free of charge
Business SA has launched a webpage for businesses requiring assistance that will include information and contact details for various government agencies, disaster recovery ‘how to’ guides and available grants.
A register for businesses wanting to help on a pro bono basis with services, products, trades and labour is being offered
Business SA will use its social media reach to encourage businesses to shop from either Kangaroo Island or Adelaide Hills businesses whenever and wherever possible, either for personal or business supplies.
For further information call Kat Collie on (08) 8300 0126
For any Queensland business affected by the bushfires requiring advice or assistance, please contact The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland helpline on 1300 731 988.
CCIQ will also waive current fees and/or invoices for businesses in declared bushfire affected areas.
Further information and links to deal with current bushfires and other emergency disaster information can be found here.
The Chamber of Commerce NT has a track record in times of emergency and any members of the Chamber impacted by the bushfires can contact the Chamber for assistance on (08) 8982 8100
The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce & Industry has a track record, in times of emergency and will continue to offer Members of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry impacted by the bushfires free advice, they can contact the Chamber for assistance on 1300 559 122.
The Canberra Business Chamber is offering businesses in impacted areas their members desk space to work from, free of charge by contacting the Chamber on 02 6247 4199.
APRA AMCOS has a dedicated phone line providing fire disaster assistance to members on 02 9935 7879 between 7am & 7pm AEDT.
APRA AMCOS and OneMusic are also offering financial support for customers in fire-affected areas. Find out more
OneMusic will write-off outstanding debts for licensed businesses in the most severely impacted towns & complimentary licences for official benefit concerts will also provided. Contact events@onemusic.com.au
APRA AMCOS has also created a website listing of relief concerts around the country
Animal Medicines Australia and its members are supporting the efforts of veterinarians, wildlife rescue services and volunteers through:
- Donating critical animal medicines to veterinary clinics treating injured wildlife and livestock.
- Providing direct financial support for wildlife rescue organisations during this crisis, and
- Coordinating with other organisations and associations responding to animal health.
Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry is supporting and overseeing a team of Emirati volunteers from the UAE who have arrived in Australia to work with Australian emergency services, surveying damage, supporting in relief centre and working with operation teams in affected areas.
The volunteer team lead by Dr Hazza Mohammed Aldaheri, includes Emirati Astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi and a group of Emirati professionals, all international alumni from Australian universities.
On behalf of the industry, the Australian Gift & Homewares Association (AGHA) is donating $2 for every visitor to their upcoming trade event Sydney Gift Fair which is being held from 21 – 24 February at Sydney Olympic Park, to rural and regional communities severely impacted by bushfires.
Visit agha.com.au for more information
The Australian Made Campaign is encouraging consumers to put their money directly into the pockets of the people and businesses that need it most through their Bushfire Bounce Back page. The page promotes hundreds of genuine Australian Made products made by local businesses in bushfire-affected communities.
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has partnered with charity Good360 to collect surplus goods from retailers to redistribute them to those Australians impacted by the fires.
The ARA is making its services available to all Australian retail businesses affected by bushfires, irrespective of whether they are ARA members or not. The ARA and partners offers advice on employment law, retail leasing, property law and insurance matters. The ARA can be contacted on 1300 368 041 and dial 8 to get advice.
The Australian Recording Industry Association is promoting Support Act, a charity helping artists, roadies and music workers in crisis.
Music industry workers in need can contact the Support Act wellbeing helpline on 1800 959 500
The Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) undertook a survey of its members who represent both Australian based tourism businesses as well as Inbound Tour Operators, with 70% of respondents recording significant cancellations of travel to Australia by internationals.
To assist in tourism’s bushfire recovery, ATEC has launched social media campaign #bushfirebounceback, to spread the word Australia is Open for Business.
ATEC invite you to spread the word that Australia is OPEN FOR BUSINESS by posting images and/or short clips of your tourism experience/destination from around the country to #bushfirebounceback.
ATEC’s bushfire response website can be viewed here.
The Australian Trucking Association and its members are working with government to support affected trucking businesses and communities.
Participating in government roundtables and meetings, the ATA is working to develop assistance plans while also looking to longer term issues such as building more resilient infrastructure and taking stronger action to address climate change.
The ATA is rolling out information regarding available government assistance, delivering hay to bushfire affected dairy farmers and liaising with community groups to deliver pallets of emergency food and water to affected communities.
The Australian Veterinary Assocation has a dedicated bushfire resources webpage. including a webinar on vet first responder & burn treatments,
Members affected can contact AVA at members@ava.com.au or call 1300 137 309. For counselling, call 1300 687 327.
The AVA Benevolent Fund is taking donations to assist members affected by bushfires and veterinarians providing pro bono work in the bushfire response. To apply for assistance contact members@ava.com.au
The Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutual (BCCM) is the peak body for co-operatives and mutuals. Co-operatives and mutuals impacted by the bushfires are encouraged to contact BCCM or complete this online form, to share their stories about how their co-op and communities have been affected by bushfires, how the co-operative and mutual sector can assist and what action is already being taken to support impacted communities.
The Caravan Industry Association has released the Keep on Camping initiative to support those impacted in the fire regions. The initiative will be guided by the industry and continue to assist the caravan and camping industry.
CIA has also established a quarantined industry marketing fund used to directly encourage future visitation to affected areas once it is safe for tourists to return. A dedicated working group will be formed to make sure funds are used where most needed.
The fund has already been kicked off via a generous donation by Dometic of $10,000 and from Vic Parks of $10,000. CI Victoria have also pledged money & people & businesses have already got in on the act with Mandurah Caravan & Tourist Park pledging the proceeds of their Australia Day activities.
Anyone who wishes to contribute please email info@caravanindustry.com.au
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is committed to supporting Australian communities affected by the unprecedented bushfires, pledging nearly $2 million towards relief and recovery efforts throughout the region.
The cruise industry is committed to supporting the wider tourism community in spreading the message that Australia remains open and accessible, in order to protect the economic benefits of tourism in communities that have not been affected by the fires.
Consult Australia are actively supporting their members in the many ways members are proactively supporting those touched by the bushfires. With their members having been involved in the respones to a number of natural disasters previously, they have a lot of expertise to provide.
Visit Consult Australia or call 02 8252 6700 for more information.
Consulting Surveyors are available to provide boundary definition for the many who have lost fences and landmarks during fires. will be offering its services for the rebuild. With surveyors in every region across Australia, we are ready to provide expert advice for home, land, infrastructure and business recovery.
To find a surveyor near you, visit Consulting Surveyors NSW, call (02) 9268 9728 or email.
Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) members are offering bushfire assistance packages to impacted customers including waivers and support which can be provided on both deposit and loan accounts, as well as other measures. COBA has an online list of contact details & encourages customers impacted by the bushfires to contact their mutual bank, credit union or building society
The Housing Industry Association is contacting members in affected areas & working to link them with agencies and other members who may be able to provide practical assistance. Members who have been affected & require assistance can contact 1300 650 620.
HIA and its members are now working to provide practical assistance to affected members across each state to help offset losses experienced and to get their businesses up and running again
Members who believe they may be able to help in kind are asked to contact HIA at enquiry@hia.com.au or on 1300 650 620. Advice on returning to bushfire affected areas is also available.
The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (ITECA) represents independent providers in the higher education, vocational education, training and skills sectors which support more than 4.2 million students nation-wide.
ITECA has been in close contact with the Australian Government to monitor the situation and has been working with regulatory agencies, and agencies that deal directly with students, to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place.
The initial planning has included a delay on compliance activity (e.g. extending audits) or retrieval of records in the event of loss. This extends to both providers and students.
Live Performance Australia (LPA) is encouraging via social media all producers and venues with current productions to help the bushfire relief with fundraising initiatives such as bucket collections at the end of performances.
LPA has also prioritised the promotion of Bushfire Appeal concerts
The Master Builders community, including Master Builders Australia, Master Builders Associations around the country and MBA Insurance Services have donated $150,000 to support bushfire affected communities in the immediate crisis and their recovery.
Master Builders is encouraging its members and the public to support state government bushfire appeal and disaster relief funds and those of the national charitable organisations the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul.
Master Plumbers bought and provided vital equipment (such as pumps and hoses) which were desperately needed to get communities back up and running and continue fire-fighting efforts. They continue to work with members during the recovery phase to understand their needs and assist where possible and have also donated considerable cash sums to CFA and Blazeaid.
Master Plumbers have set up a dedicated ‘hotline’ for members and the industry to come to with issues and for technical advice.
Medicines Australia, the peak body for the innovative medicines industry, will donate $150,000 to the Red Cross bushfire appeal and Rare Cancers Facemasks for Firies appeal to support communities affected by the ongoing bushfire crisis.
Medicines Australian have also been working closely with the Department of Health and the NSW and Victorian health organisations to ensure that supply of critical medicines is not interrupted to these affected communities at a hospital, pharmacy and individual level.
More information can be found here.
NESA is liaising with the Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, the Department of Social Services and the National Indigenous Australians Agency to inform and support the application of Bushfire Contingency Arrangements. These temporary arrangements are applicable to individuals in receipt of income support payments and organisations across Australia who deliver employment services.
NESA is working with members to identify opportunities to mobilise the sector in the recovery and relief efforts.
Please contact NESA’s Policy Team (03 9624 2390) to discuss any emerging issues, provide feedback or share solutions.
National Disability Services (NDS) is promoting the NDIS bushfire information and support for participants and providers.
The NDS is also promoting the Council for Intellectual Disability Bushfire Info Guide for people with an intellectual disability.
The National Fire Industry Association of Australia (NFIA) has set a $100,000 NFIA fundraising target and currently has donated $74,725 as of 13th Jan since it opened on 9th Jan. This money has been channelled through the Australian Red Cross Bushfire Recovery Appeal.
The NFIA has also had members contact them to advise of their own specific fundraising efforts being undertaken in-house.
National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) is asking members to donate to the NSW Rural Fire Service, the Red Cross or the RSPCA.
The National Retail Association has a dedicated website for free bushfire Resilience Resources including a guide to managing employees during a natural disaster, power outage resource and fire safety resources.
They have also partnered with Good360 to assist in the coordination of the distribution of donated goods to affected communities
The Pharmacy Guild is providing advice and information through its website to pharmacists about the supply of medicines to patients in affected bush fire areas.
Print & Visual Communication Association (PVCA) has a number of members directly affected by the fires. PVCA is working with these members directly to assist them and has a detailed list of contacts for printers on their website.
The PVCA industrial service is providing immediate assistant for Industry Relations and WH&S issues. PVCA encourages members to call them on the Print & Visual Communication Association hotline on 1800 227 425.
Additionally, some members have offered to provide backup to printers who are production effected. Please contact PVCA for an introduction.
RCSA has created a GoFundMe page to support those impacted by the devastating bushfires. ‘Recruiters for Fire relief’ is a fund established by RCSA, to raise funds for the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and recovery Fund.
RCSA is encouraging recruitment, staffing or workplace solutions firm, professional or community members to make a donation
Restaurant, Cafe and Catering Businesses who have been directly impacted by the bushfires will have free access to R&CA’s Industrial Relations Hotline and our General Advice Hotline from Monday 13 January for three months to assist them in their rebuilding and recovery efforts.
If you are aware of any business who may be able to take advantage of this offer please forward this email to them or ask them to call our National Contact Number on 1300 722 878 or email restncat@rca.asn.au.
Screen Producers Australia (SPA) has put out a call to the film, television and new media production industry to aid in a community-led recovery effort by choosing to ‘Produce Here This Year’.
The campaign, inspired by Business Events Australia’s ‘Event Here This Year’, is aimed at rallying Australian production businesses to choose fire and drought affected areas, as well as crew members from these regions, when planning upcoming shoots. Click here for more information.
Tourism Accommodation Australia (NSW) in conjunction with the Australian Hotel Association NSW has donated $250,000 to the St Vinnies Bushfire Appeal and are encouraging hotels to donate where possible.
TAA is working collaboratively with government and agencies to communicate the effect of the bushfires on the accommodation industry and will provide additional support measures in the coming months once the full scale of the devastation is known.
This portal will be updated as new support & recovery announcements are made