24 Month Report February 2011
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24 Month Report February 2011 Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority Message from Ian Dicker Since starting in my role with the community, and with the Victorian Bushfi re Appeal Fund to Authority in August 2010, I have develop a medium-term fund that will guarantee fi nancial had the opportunity to visit many support for community recovery initiatives into the future. of the communities impacted by the 2009 Victorian bushfi res, and These programs will complement a range of existing to meet many of the people that services such as the free Rebuilding Advisory Service, have played an instrumental role community capacity and leadership program, bushfi re in the recovery process. recovery phone line, counselling support and small business mentoring. Community engagement support will also Two years have now passed since continue in bushfi re-affected communities until the end of the worst bushfi res in Australia’s 2012, ensuring that the close working relationship between history. While the ever-present communities and government continues. sight of reconstruction is a welcome reminder of how far communities have progressed in that time, it is clear that some With these services in place, the Authority is well on track people continue to face barriers to their recovery. to completing the task it was established to do in February 2009. Over the coming months the Authority will continue As individuals and communities continue to recover at their to work with councils, community groups and Victorian own pace, it is important to ensure that people have the right and Commonwealth government agencies to ensure the support available at the right time. continuity of services into the future. In recent months the Authority has worked to develop a I would like to take this opportunity to commend the local number of initiatives aimed at the medium-term recovery communities for the hard work, dedication and sacrifi ce that of individuals and communities. These include a range they continue to bring to this recovery process. Together of grants targeted at small business recovery and the with the leadership of local councils, and the cooperation of establishment of new businesses and industries in bushfi re- the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, they have affected communities. The Authority has also worked with come together to articulate and implement a community- the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement to establish led recovery that has met the unique needs of the many ongoing psychological support for members of the bereaved individuals affected by this tragedy. Ian Dicker Chair, Victorian Bushfi re Reconstruction and Recovery Authority Cover Photograph: The ‘ThankYou’ campaign was launched by bushfi re-affected communities to show Australians their appreciation of their support after the fi res. Pictured from left are: Warwick Leeson of St Andrews, Pam Pattison of Balook, Liam Sheahan of Strath Creek, Ange Gordon of Traralgon South and Tony Thompson of Marysville. Message from Christine Nixon Twelve months ago, I wrote that It is important to remember that for many, this hard work the delivery of infrastructure and of recovery has come at a personal cost. As the Authority services would guarantee that begins to wind down in 2011, one of our primary concerns communities devastated by the is to ensure that individuals receive the right assistance to 2009 Victorian bushfires would support them emotionally through the recovery process. once again thrive, and be great places for those returning. Now Since starting in my new role as the Victorian Government’s two years on, these communities Adviser on Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery, I have are bustling with the sounds and been privileged to have the opportunity to continue to work sights of reconstruction. The with members of the bereaved community. vast majority of residents have In the past year, working closely with the Australian Centre returned, many have completed for Grief and Bereavement, the Authority has supported the their rebuilding and new residents are now being warmly bereaved community with a number of forums, events and welcomed into these communities. advisory group meetings, in addition to Royal Commission Perhaps most encouragingly, communities have undertaken feedback sessions, which together have informed the this process in a way that is timely, efficient and responsible. development of a range of support services that will continue Throughout the recovery process they have worked together into the medium-term. in ways that are respectful of the past and appreciative of This work, undertaken by many individuals still in the individuals’ varying needs. process of rebuilding their homes and communities, is Twelve months ago I also pointed to the wonderful indicative of the resilience, courage and commitment of all work being undertaken by the 33 Community Recovery those in bushfire-affected communities who have dedicated Committees in articulating their plans for the future. As we themselves to this recovery effort. In articulating their own commemorate the second anniversary of the fires, many of vision of the future, they have ensured that their communities these committees have now wound down their operations, will once again thrive. while others are planning for their transition to new or existing community groups with a broader focus of activities. Christine Nixon APM Adviser to the Victorian Government on Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Contents Communities and People ........................................................................................................................................................5-12 Reconstruction....................................................................................................................................................................... 13-15 Local Economies ................................................................................................................................................................... 16-19 Environment ........................................................................................................................................................................... 20-23 Transition ............................................................................................................................................................................... 24-25 Impact of the Bushfi res .......................................................................................................................................................... 26-27 Community Recovery Committees – Progress and Transition ............................................................................................. 28-103 Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................................................................................................... 104 Terms of Reference ................................................................................................................................................................... 104 Key Events Timeline .................................................................................................................................................................. 105 Key Contacts ............................................................................................................................................................................ 107 Recovery and Reconstruction Framework The Authority is using a recognised disaster recovery Guiding Principles As a starting point for the framework and has designed some overall guiding framework the following guiding principles will principles to govern activities. govern the overall activities of the Authority through the recovery process: Welfare The safety and welfare of people in the local community including householders, People volunteers and workers will be the top level Safety, Health, Welfare, priority and will not be compromised. Wellbeing Meeting Needs Resources for recovery will be focused on areas of greatest need in each community. Environment Biodiversity and Community Engagement Community involvement Ecosystems, Reconstruction Amenities, Waste Local Residential, is key and will be pursued through all activities and Pollution Community Commercial, Rural, with management at the local level empowered to Management, Public Buildings deliver results. Natural Resources Integrity Provision of services and resources will be governed by the principles of fairness and equity. Economy Individuals, Tailored Solutions The needs of each community Business, affected by the fires are different and the recovery Infrastructure, solutions will be tailored to the specific needs of Government each community. Communities and People Two years after the 2009 Victorian bushfi res, signifi cant progress has been made in rebuilding homes, lives and communities. A range of services will continue to be made available to ensure people have access to the emotional and practical support they need to continue their recovery. Communities are seeing the results of their hard work through the Community Recovery Plan (CRP) process, with a large number of priority projects funded, delivered or underway. Community Programs and Initiatives directing community rebuilding and recovery, through a focus on the needs and priorities of each individual community. Community Recovery Plan Projects With around 1100 projects