Campaspe Shire Mayor Cr Rob Amos has welcomed $1.2 million in government funding that will help strengthen the shire's emergency management capability and community resilience.
"We are delighted that our latest funding applications to the state and federal governments have been successful," Cr Amos said.
"We're on a mission to ensure that Campaspe Shire receives the funding and resources we need to fix the widespread infrastructure damage caused by last October's flood event, and to support our impacted communities to recover and become more resilient into the future."
An amount of $1.087 million was awarded under Round One of the Disaster Ready Fund (DRF) for a Flood Review and Mitigation Project. The project includes:
- Review and updating of the Echuca Moama Torrumbarry Flood Study. This will enable potential future flood mitigation measures, warning systems and triggers to be developed based on the latest information.
- Preparation of a Flood Risk Management Plan. The plan will identify, evaluate and recommend options for mitigation works and determine their overall feasibility and requirements.
- Purchase of demountable levee panels. These will help protect key community facilities and maintain access road for vehicular movement.
An amount of $110,000 was awarded under the Connecting Community to Builders Program. This will help flood-impacted residents to rebuild their homes by linking them to local trades in the area, and assist Council to process the increase in planning and building permit applications.
Campaspe Shire Council is continuing its strong flood and emergency management advocacy on a range of fronts. Recent flood advocacy activities have included:
- Hosting a National Emergency Management Agency Forum with the three levels of government to discuss ways to improve national systems and processes, removing funding blockages and creating consistency of emergency response across state borders.
- Lodging a comprehensive submission to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the 2022 Flood Event.
- Collaborating with Buloke, Gannawarra, Loddon, Mildura and Swan Hill councils to raise concerns with the state and federal governments about challenges and complexities associated with current flood recovery funding arrangements, and the need for certainty about future funding.
- Meeting with the Chief of Staff of the Hon Bill Shorten, Minister for NDIS about the need to improve standards, messaging and resourcing for the care of vulnerable people during times of emergency and natural disaster.
