Help for victims of the Mumbai attacks

The Australian Government has activated its emergency assistance plan to help Australians evacuated from Mumbai and returning to Australia.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and the Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin, today approved the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment to provide assistance to victims of the attacks.

The assistance measures include financial support for those who have been affected and their families.

The payments will provide immediate financial support to people who have been seriously injured or who suffer psychological trauma as a result of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Australians are horrified at these cowardly attacks on local people and visitors in the city of Mumbai.

Our thoughts are with the families of those who have been killed and injured.

The payments we are providing will help Australians who have been injured, caught up in the violence, held hostage, or who have witnessed these shocking events.

We will also provide support for the immediate family members of any Australians who have died in the attacks.

Payments of $1,000 for adults and $400 per child will be available. The payments will be available as soon as possible and claims will be open for six months.

The payments will be available through Centrelink.

Centrelink’s Family Support Team of social workers are also standing by to help Australians caught up in the terror attacks in Mumbai when they arrive back home.

Services, including counselling, personal support, referral and practical assistance, will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the response period.

A Mumbai crisis assistance hotline 1800 146 713 has also been established.

The whole-of-government approach response for Australians being evacuated from Mumbai is being co-ordinated by Emergency Management Australia.

The Australian Government will assess the situation as more information comes to hand.

We will be ready to provide additional assistance, including support for seriously injured victims and their families, if needed.