Statement - Assistance for Youpla policy holders welcome

The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia welcomes interim arrangements by the Australian Government to provide emergency relief to Aboriginal families left unable to afford funerals for loved ones after the collapse of insurer the Youpla Group.

Under the interim arrangements, announced by Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP, and Minister for Financial Services, the Hon Stephen Jones MP, people who held an active policy on 1 April 2020 will receive a payout for funeral expenses equal to the value originally promised by the company.

The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia welcomes this announcement as a positive first step that will go some way towards giving people peace of mind at this difficult time by enabling families to bury their loved ones with dignity.

We also welcome the Government’s commitment to investigate further actions needed to resolve the Youpla Group collapse, which left around 14,500 First Nations people without insurance coverage.