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These individuals suffer significantly during disasters, particularly in remote locations, where banking and postal services are often inaccessible for receiving vital funds.
With the cost of Australian natural disasters projected to rise to $39 billion per year by 2050, according to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, there is an urgent need for government agencies and departments to consider the most effective solutions to disburse funds to citizens during emergencies.
Will Feutrill, RVP Incentives AU at Blackhawk Network, has 20 years of experience in strategic communications and using technology ecosystems and incentives to create better outcomes.
Below, Will shares three tips for government and not-for-profit organisations looking to develop secure, cost-effective, and time-efficient payment systems that can be activated quickly in emergency situations.
Time is critical in emergencies.
According to the Australian Disaster Resilience Handbook Collection 2023, local governments and not-for-profits have a key role in emergency management due to their ’strong relationship with their local community networks and knowledge of locally available resources’.
Developing and maintaining partnerships with trusted vendors ahead of time allows for the quick activation of payment systems for those in need. This includes having procedures in place for the issue, distribution, and redemption of payment services.
No two emergencies look the same, and it is important that an appropriately measured response be executed.
Consideration should be given to the type of compensation required by affected communities and how they might access their payment.
Blackhawk Network recognises that Australians bank in different ways. Some use traditional banking services; others, the “unbanked,” manage their money in other ways; and the “underbanked” use both traditional banking and alternative banking services like check cashing or money orders. In an emergency, your payment system should be able to meet all financial needs.
Blackhawk Network research shows that 87% of ‘underbanked’ Australians, who are typically Millennials and younger, are frustrated by traditional paper checks, finding them slow and tiresome to use. Instead, 67% of underbanked Australians and 66% of fully banked Australians report a preference for digital prepaid cards.
Underscoring the need for flexibility and innovation in payment methods is the announcement of the Australian Government’s Strategic Plan for Australia’s Payments System, which sees the phase-out of cheque usage by government agencies by 2028, ahead of the cheque system winding down by 2030.
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In emergency situations, there may be heightened vulnerability to fraud and exploitation. Robust security measures protect the funds allocated for relief efforts and also maintain public trust in the integrity of aid distribution processes.
Businesses also report security, cost, and waste concerns with checks, with expenses for printing, processing, and sending being between $4 and $20 per check.
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