Peter Saville might have one of the best jobs in town.
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He gets to hand out up to $1500 of other people's money to those who need a helping hand.
However, it is a role that comes with some major responsibilities.
Mr Saville is the financial inclusion officer for the Mary MacKillop Today charity and helps run its No Interest Loan Scheme.
The state government-funded scheme enables low-income earners to access an alternative form of credit to buy essential household items, pay for medical needs, car registrations and other services without paying interest.
I've buried a lady's dog. It was her companion for 18 years.
- Peter Saville, Mary MacKillop Today
"I've buried a lady's dog," he said of the most unusual funding request he approved.
"It was her companion for 18 years."
The money was needed for veterinary expenses associated with the burial.
Since November he has helped about 60 people in Orange.
"I have assisted clients with loans ranging from $285 right through to $1500 on a wide range of goods and services," he said.
"One client has an infant son that required extensive dental surgery only available in Melbourne and we provided a loan of $1500."
To be eligible people must have an after-tax income of $45,000 or less [single people] or $60,000 or less for people with dependents. They also must be committed to paying the money back in regular instalments.
He said many people in this income bracket did not have a credit rating to borrow money through normal channels and even then were hit with large repayments.
In this day and age it is getting very hard for people to borrow.
- Peter Saville, Mary MacKillop Today
"In this day and age it is getting very hard for people to borrow," he said.
Mr Saville said he recently had a request for help from a woman to buy a washing machine which MMT determined would cost $952.
However they also found that under a commercial 'rent to buy' scheme with a 48-month repayment period it would have cost her $3246.
"The additional cost of $2294 has a huge impact on low income earners and [it] could be spent on other living expenses," he said.
Mr Saville said MMT encouraged shopping locally to bolster the Orange economy.
"[It means] the money we loan is spent in town and this supports the staff and business operators at the local level," he said.
He can be contacted at Veritas House in Sale Street every Tuesday and Wednesday.
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