Joint media release with Jaclyn Symes MLC
The Albanese and Andrews Governments will fund 24 community projects in Victoria to improve disaster mitigation as part of the latest round of the Risk and Resilience Grants Program.
More than $3 million has been made available to a range of emergency service organisations to local councils, government departments and volunteer agencies.
The program co-funds initiatives that are focused on identifying and mitigating potential natural disaster risks, such as climate change adaptation, designing resilient infrastructure and developing strategies to manage the local and regional risks of natural disasters.
Successful projects under Round 2 are:
- Baw Baw Shire Council - $500,000 to build a retarding basin on the west of Trafalgar to detain the flows from Sunny Creek tributaries, reducing the flood risk for 220 properties.
- Ambulance Victoria - $250,000 to provide power generators in vulnerable communities to ensure ambulance services can continue to operate in the event of power loss.
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - $227,000 to build the resilience of the Little Penguin colony and other wildlife against heatwave and bushfire events.
- Greater Shepparton City Council - $50,000 to do a flood scoping study that will identify historic flood information related to Tallygaroopna, understand and characterise the flood risk in the township and provide mitigation recommendations.
- Coliban Region Water Corporation - $175,000 to identify critical water and sewage assets in north central Victoria, so that water and sewage services can be protected during future emergency events.
- Hepburn Shire Council - $120,000 to complete a flood study of the Creswick township.
- Murrindindi Shire Council - $50,000 to undertake an initial flood scoping study for the Alexandra township.
- Northern Grampians Shire Council - $60,000 to build two drainage retention basins to reduce the severity of flood impacts in the township of St Arnaud.
- Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions - $50,000 to counter incorrect public information during emergencies.
- Falls Creek Alpine Resort Management Board - $54,477 to develop a bushfire risk management framework and provide a bushfire fuel management plan.
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning - $185,000 to develop a Bushfire Suppression Decision Support System to help with fire containment protocol.
- Golden Plains Shire Council - $107,000 to undertake a detailed assessment of flood mitigation options for the Inverleigh township.
- Greater Bendigo City Council - $70,000 to undertake a detailed feasibility assessment to determine if Crusoe Reservoir can be repurposed as a flood mitigation asset.
- Greater Bendigo City Council - $55,000 to develop a design and implementation plan for a total flood warning system for Bendigo Creek.
- Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions - $100,000 to undertake a Food Supply Chain Risk Assessment to understand how the distribution and transport of goods in Victoria's food supply chain will be impacted by a changing climate and climate-related disasters.
- Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions - $50,000 to plan for regional telecommunications, food, grocery and critical infrastructure access during disasters.
- Indigo Shire Council - $160,000 for the Naturally Cooler Indigo program to speed up tree canopy growth in local towns.
- Mansfield Shire Council - $160,000 to do a flood study of Mansfield.
- Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance (through Murrindindi Shire Council) - $200,588 to undertake a cost benefit analysis of risk and associated investment to address climate impacts to the delivery of community services.
- Southern Grampians Shire Council - $30,000 to update flood risk mapping for the floodplains of the Glenelg River and the township of Balmoral.
- Victoria State Emergency Service - $95,000 for the Goulburn Broken Municipal Flood Emergency Plan and Local Flood Guide Update.
- Victoria State Emergency Service - $200,000 to improve SES ability to provide tailored flood intelligence and information to community and operational personnel, to increase the understanding of flood risk and improve decision making during flood events.
- Yarra Ranges Council - $80,000 to identify and address local resilience strengths and future priorities.
- Yarra Valley Water - $30,000 to identify highest critical assets regarding their resilience to direct climate change.
The Risk and Resilience Grants Program forms part of the National Partnership Agreement on Disaster Risk Reduction - an agreement between the Commonwealth and all States and Territories to reduce the risk and impact of natural disasters, in line with the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework.
Further information about the Risk and Resilience Grants Program, including eligibility criteria, is available on the Emergency Management Victoria website at Risk and Resilience Grants Program.
Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt:
The recent floods are a stark reminder of the devastating impact and disruption of increasingly frequent and severe weather events.
The Risk and Resilience Grants Program is part of a $33.4 million commitment by the Federal and Victorian governments to reduce the risk of floods, bushfires, heatwaves and other natural hazards across Victoria.
By equipping decision-makers with the capabilities and information they need to minimize the impact of natural disasters, we're actively working to build safer, more resilient communities.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Minister for Emergency Services, Jaclyn Symes:
The recent floods show just how important it is to plan for potential disasters - these grants help Victorian organisations make their communities a safer place to live and protect the environment.
We are living with a changing climate and with a risk of disasters - it's critical we work together keep our rural communities safe and reduce that risk.
