Rural Financial Counsellors
The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) Program provides grants to state, regional and community level organisations to provide free and impartial rural financial counselling to primary producers, fishers and small rural businesses* who are suffering financial hardship and who have no alternative sources of impartial support.
*Small Rural Business means a rural business that employs no more than ten full-time-equivalent (38 hrs per week) employees and provides the majority of its services to primary producers and is directly involved in primary production (eg fencing, harvesting, spraying or stock management contractor).
The program is funded by the Australian Government and State governments, who have committed funding to June 2009.
In Western Australia, the program is administered by Rural Financial Counselling Service Western Australia (RFCS WA).
What is rural financial counselling?
Rural financial counselling is:
- free
- impartial
- independent of financial institutions, welfare agencies and government.
The client makes the decisions: It is up to the client to choose which option is right for them. The rural financial counsellor will help clients develop some options and will provide support with their decision making.
What can rural financial counsellors do?
Rural financial counsellors can:
- help clients identify financial and business options
- help clients negotiate with their lenders
- help clients adjust to climate change through the Climate Change Adjustment Program, identify any advice and training needed and develop an action plan
- help clients meet their mutual obligations under the Transitional Income Support program
- give clients information about government and other assistance schemes
- refer clients to accountants, agricultural advisers and educational services
- refer clients to Centrelink and to professionals for succession planning, family mediation and personal, emotional and social counselling.
Rural financial counsellors do not provide family, emotional or social counselling, financial advice or succession planning services - but they can provide referrals and information.
Rural Financial Counselling Service Western Australia
|
Office Postal Address: |
PO Box 151 Morawa WA 6623 |
|
Phone: |
9971 1509 |
|
Fax |
9971 1284 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Officer |
Chris Wheatcroft |
|
Mobile |
0448 773 331 |
|
|
Rural financial counsellors
|
Northern Wheatbelt & Pastoral Region |
Fleur Grieve |
|
Mobile |
0439 984 506 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central West Wheatbelt Region |
Juliet Grist |
|
Mobile |
0439 984 525 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central Wheatbelt Region |
Merrie Carlshausen |
|
Mobile |
0429 986 188 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central Wheatbelt Region |
John Dymond |
|
Mobile |
0429 986 181 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Central East Wheatbelt Region |
Graeme Chopping |
|
Mobile |
0439 984 543 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
South West |
Barry Bache |
|
Mobile |
0439 984 592 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Great Southern/South East Region |
Christan Walker |
|
Mobile |
0439 984 539 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
South West/Great Southern Region & Areas not included above |
Andrew Grist |
|
Mobile |
0427 986 182 |
|
|
Page Updated 17 September 2009
News
| Mimosa pigra - found in the Kimberley | |
| Perennial Pastures and Sandplian soils. | |
| Australian Plague Locust | |
| Climate | |
| Latest Seasonal Update | |
| view all... | |
Events
| 02/09/2010 | |
| Mingenew-Irwin Group Spring Field D... | |
| 04/03/2010 | |
| Facey Group Trials Presentation Eve... | |
| 04/03/2010 | |
| Mingenew-Irwin Group Crop Updates... | |
| 25/02/2010 | |
| Agribusiness Crop Updates... | |
| 10/02/2010 | |
| GSARI – Two field days in one... | |
| 04/02/2010 | |
| Mingenew-Irwin Group Trials Review... | |
| view all... | |