Q: What is the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund (LMDRF)?

The LMDRF is Western Australia’s official state emergency fund and is used to raise and coordinate donations to support the victims of disasters occurring within Western Australia.

City of Perth manages and administers the LMDRF. All administration costs involved in running the LMDRF is absorbed by the City of Perth, so 100% of all funds raised goes directly to those in need.

Q: Is the LMDRF a registered charity?

Yes, we are. We are registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission. You can view our registration here. 

Q: Can I donate when there is no appeal?

Yes, you can.

If you would like to make a donation when an appeal is not running, please contact 1300 998 227 or send a cheque to:

LMDRF
GPO Box C120
PERTH WA 6839

Q: Who can donate to the LMDRF?

Any business, organisation, group or member of the public can donate.

Q: Can I donate anonymously?

Certainly. However please note that if you require a receipt we will need your name and either email or postal address.

Q: Is my donation private?

Yes. The LMDRF maintains the privacy of all its donors.

Q: Is GST payable on donations?

No, donations do not attract GST.

Q: Are donations tax deductable?

Any donations $2 and over are deductible.

Q: I can only donate a small amount. Is this going to make a difference?

Big or small, it all makes a difference.

Q: Is the LMDRF approved as a deductible gift recipient?

Yes it is. You can see our deductible gift recipient status here.

Q: When will I receive a receipt for my donation?

If you make your credit card donation online or by phone, a tax receipt will be issued to the email address provided by you when making the payment.

If your donation is being made by cheque, please provide your name and address (or email if you prefer) and we will send you your receipt as soon as practical.

If your donation was made at a BankWest branch or by EFT, please ensure you input a unique reference attached to the donation (your surname and suburb for example) and then contact us on 1300 998 227, so we can send you out your receipt as soon as practical.

If you make a donation at any other bank, other than BankWest, we will be unable to provide you with a receipt unless you specifically request the donation is deposited directly to the LMDRF bank account and a unique reference provided. Other banks tend to hold the funds and transfer them to the LMDRF as one lump sum at a later date.

Q: I have lost my tax receipt. Can I get a replacement?

Of course. Please contact 1300 998 227.

However if you have made a donation through another bank, other than BankWest, this may not be possible. See question When will I receive a receipt for my donation?

If you made your donation to someone who was fundraising on behalf of the LMDRF, you will need to contact the person/company who ran the fundraising activity or event and they can issue you with a receipt.

Q: Will I be charged extra to use an American Express for my donation?

No. All credit card charges, including American Express, will be absorbed by the City of Perth.

Q: Does the LMDRF share my details with any other charities?

Absolutely not. We would never, under any circumstances, share your details. Your privacy is always respected and protected. We are an independent charity and work alone.

Q. Where does my money go?

100% of all money donated goes directly to the victims affected by the disaster.  Unlike other charities that use a percentage of the donations to help with their administrative costs, the City of Perth donates ALL administration costs.

Q: How much of my money is actually donated to the victims of the disaster?

100% of all money raised goes directly to the victims affected by the disaster.  The City of Perth donates ALL administration costs.

Q: How will my donation get distributed to those affected by the disaster?

The LMDRF is operated by an independent Board and the process for distributing funds will be managed in conjunction with the affected Shire/s. Applications are assessed on a case by case basis and decisions for disbursements are made according to a certain criteria.

Q: I want to fundraise for people affected by the disaster, do I need to do anything?

Yes.  Please click here and you will find all the information you require.

Q: I have clothes and food I want to donate – where can I drop these off?

The State government and local government authorities involved in the recovery of a disaster encourage individuals who want to help in some way to donate money to the LMDRF.

Clothing, food and other items are very difficult to manage and coordinate. However if you feel strongly about donating goods and other items then please contact the local government authority/s affected for further advice.

If you have a question that hasn’t been addressed above, please phone 1300 998 227 or email lmdrf@cityofperth.wa.gov.au and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.

The cost of administering the LMDRF is entirely absorbed by the City of Perth
so 100% of money raised can go back to those who need it.