By Shelby Brooks and Taylah Eastwell
The State Government has vowed to “stand shoulder to shoulder” with storm ravaged Hills communities as they begin to rebuild, despite no solid funding assurances for businesses or local emergency services.
Victoria’s emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp and assistant treasurer Danny Pearson visited the Emerald SES on Tuesday 15 June for the first time since the storm hit last Wednesday.
Commissioner Crisp said the state would “continue to assess the impact on individuals, on families, on business, and on community” to determine what further post-storm support might look like for businesses.
On Sunday 13 June, Acting Premier James Merlino along with the Commonwealth Government announced immediate emergency assistance for storm affected households.
“That means affected residents can receive up to $42,250 per household to re-establish their homes as quickly as possible,” he said.
“The money can also be used to cover accommodation, cleanup, home repairs, reconnecting services and rebuilding or replacing around the home.
“And it’s in addition to Personal Hardship payments of up to almost $2000 per family available to help meet immediate needs like food, shelter, clothing, and medication.”
Speaking to media on Tuesday, Commissioner Crisp said that 77 of those hardship payments had been made, totalling around $87,000.
But local emergency services across the Hills are questioning where their support is from the state, with operational costs being met out of brigade and unit’s own pockets.
Mr Merlino also announced that the state would be “fast tracking” the replacement of Emerald SES’s emergency response vehicle that was crushed by a falling tree in Wednesday night’s storm.
While grateful the damaged vehicle will be replaced, unit controller Ben Owen was still hopeful additional government funding might come through for emergency services.
“It’s hard without the Deputy Premier here but he said to me yesterday (14 June) that he was going to sit down with us after this event and Eastern Victoria MP Harriet Shing is pushing for us,” Mr Owen told the Gazette on 15 June.
Mr Owen said volunteers should be focused on training as first responders, not fundraising for vital equipment.
“(In terms of funds) we are pretty comfortable but because of Covid-19 we can’t do our normal Bunnings barbecue and stuff, and nor should we have to,” he said.
“Our first responders should be training for response, not fundraising.
“Fire Rescue Victoria don’t do fundraisers, they get funded. Just because they are paid people doesn’t change the fact they get the equipment they need.”
Eastern Victoria MP Harriet Shing said SES units deserve support not just now but into the future.
“We have never seen a community pull together in the extraordinary way that has occurred here,” Ms Shing said.
“Volunteers including our incredible SES unit here in Emerald have done a power of work at a great cost to themselves and their families.
“They’ve worked tirelessly and we need to make sure they get the support that they need and the resources and the engagement not just now as we mop up from the storm event, not just on Wednesday through to the weekend as we prepare for additional rain but also as we prepare for the summer season and bushfires.”
