Telstra Flood Grants: $250,000 for flood-affected communities

Today we announced we will provide community groups in Southern Queensland and Northern NSW with grants, expected to total at least $250,000 to help support flood recovery.
Andrew Penn · 11 March 2022 · 2 minute read

As part of our overall support for flood affected communities, the Local Flood Grants will provide either cash or technology to the value of up to $10,000 to eligible local organisations.

This is in addition to our broader support program for customers which we expect to run into several million dollars.

These floods have been devastating and our hearts go out to everyone impacted. Our local Telstra teams have been on the ground working around the clock to get communities back online as quickly as possible. As part of the community, we know how important supporting each other during these times is and we wanted to reassure people we’ll be there as they recover and rebuild.

Volunteers have been giving their time in really difficult conditions to keep their local communities safe. Whether it’s the SES, lifesaving or sporting clubs, Rotary, Probus, groups of neighbours or even strangers – volunteers have been pulling together to rescue people, give them shelter, provide them with a hot meal and clean clothes and making sure they are cared for.

Many of our techs and frontline customer service teams live in these communities and are members of these organisations. We want to do our part to support them and provide practical support for the volunteers who are so often the ones meeting community needs and responding to Australia’s natural disasters.

We hope the Telstra Local Flood Grants will provide the kind of grassroots assistance many communities need – whether it’s covering the cost of new equipment, providing technology to help keep people connected, replacing sporting gear that has been ruined, or supporting those who support the most vulnerable in our community.

Adding to our disaster assistance package

We continue to offer customers impacted by the crisis a range of financial support such as Disaster Assistance Packages, including an additional 100GB of data on mobile services, call diversions for those who have had to leave their home or business, and free WiFi and calls through Telstra payphones.

Customers who might require further ongoing financial support are encouraged to head to our disaster relief page for more information.

Telstra employees whose homes have been damaged by the floods are being supported with emergency accommodation and cash advances for urgent food and clothing. Employees can also use paid disaster leave for the immediate protection of life and property, paid carers’ leave to provide care or support to a member family or household who is sick or injured, and paid volunteer leave for those volunteering with emergency response groups.

More than 3,000 customers in hard hit areas will receive Smart Modems 2 so they remain connected while Telstra carries out repairs and restoration work on fixed line services. These modems can access Telstra’s mobile network and will provide customers in flood affected areas with unlimited mobile data until their fixed internet services are restored.

Head to our Disaster Assistance page for more information on these packages.

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By Andrew Penn

Former Chief Executive Officer

Andy Penn became the CEO and Managing Director of Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company, on 1 May 2015. At Telstra, Andy is leading an ambitious change program transforming the business to be positioned to compete in the radically changing technology world of the future with 5G at its core. Andy has had an extensive career spanning 40 years across 3 different industries - telecommunications, financial services and shipping. He joined Telstra in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. In 2014 he took on the additional responsibilities as Group Executive International.

Prior to Telstra, Andy spent 23 years with the AXA Group, one of the world’s largest insurance and investment groups. His time at AXA included the roles of Chief Executive Officer 2006-2011 AXA Asia Pacific Holdings, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive Asia and Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand.  At AXA, Andy was instrumental in building one of the most successful Asian businesses by an Australian company that was sold to its parent in 2011 for more than A$10bn.

Other directorships & appointments: Member of the Council of Trustees of the National Gallery of Victoria; Board Director of the Groupe Speciale Mobile Association (GSMA); Chairman of the Australian Government’s Cyber Industry Advisory Panel, created to guide development of Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy; Patron, on behalf of Telstra, of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Awards (NATSIAA); Life Governor of Very Special Kids and an Ambassador for the Amy Gillett Foundation. He serves on the advisory boards of both The Big Issue Home for Homes and JDRF.

Recognition and qualifications: MBA (Kingston), AMP (Harvard), FCCA, HFAIPM. Andy has a national diploma in business studies (with distinction), is a Fellow of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants, holds an MBA from Kingston University and is a graduate of Harvard’s Advanced Management Program. In 2008 Andy was recognised as Insurance Executive of the year in the Australian Banking and Finance Awards and in 2016 he was made an honorary fellow of the Australian Institute of Project Management. In 2018 Andy was named by the Financial Times among the top 10 male leaders globally HERoes list supporting women in business. In 2019 he was named by the Australian Financial Review as among the top 10 most powerful people in business.

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