Supporting Victorians Through Flood Clean-Up

This article was released by the Premier of Victoria, The Hon Dan Andrews on 19 October 2022. 

Victorians whose properties are destroyed or damaged in the floods can have their properties cleared of hazards, and made safe, at no cost – thanks to joint funding from the Australian and Victorian Governments.

Clean-up assistance is being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements with an initial investment of $150 million to prioritise hazard assessments and clean-up.

This first phase of the jointly funded clean-up program will be coordinated by Emergency Recovery Victoria (ERV) – with registrations already open.

ERV will work with local contractors to demolish, remove and dispose of structures that were destroyed or damaged beyond repair by the floods.

They will also remove hazards and debris that pose a threat to property or work crews.

Additional ADF support has also been deployed to assist in the clean-up.

Emergency re-establishment payments have also been activated, providing up to $43,850 for households without flood insurance, facing financial hardship, whose homes have been damaged or destroyed to help pay for clean-up, emergency accommodation, repairs, rebuilding and replacing essential household items.

These grants are for residents whose homes are uninhabitable for more than a week – a situation many in Victoria’s hardest-hit communities are sadly facing.

About 50,000 homes, 14 hospitals and 300 schools and early childhood facilities have been identified within flood impacted areas in Victoria to date – these numbers are expected to grow as higher water levels travel downstream in the coming days.

In addition, the Federal Government’s one-off, non-means tested Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child has been made available to people who live in the LGAs of Benalla, Boroondara, Central Goldfields, Greater Bendigo, Loddon, Moonee Valley, Mount Alexander, Murrindindi and Yarra.

The assistance is already available to those in the Campaspe, Greater Shepparton, Maribyrnong, Mitchell and Strathbogie LGAs. Activation across additional councils will occur as impacts of the floods are understood.

Disaster assistance funding for communities affected by the floods through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements has also today been expanded to cover 46 LGAs.

Activation of these arrangements allows more councils to claim expenses from the joint State and Commonwealth funding for a range of activities including early relief and recovery activities such as the establishment and operation of Relief Centres, the removal of debris from residential properties and emergency works to urgently restore an essential public asset. Activation across additional councils will occur as impacts of the floods are understood.

The additional local government areas that are now supported through these arrangements are: Ararat Rural City Council, Banyule City Council, Boroondara Council, Brimbank City Council, City of Ballarat, City of Greater Geelong, Colac Otway Shire Council, Glenelg Shire, Golden Plains Shire Council, Hume City Council, Indigo Shire Council, Manningham City Council, Melbourne City Council, Moorabool Shire Council, Moyne Shire, Swan Hill Rural City Council, Warrnambool City Council, Whittlesea Council, Wodonga Council, Wyndham City Council, Yarra Ranges Council and Yarriambiack Shire Council.

For support with payments, clean-up or any other flood issues, Victorians can contact the Flood Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760.

Property owners are encouraged to check their eligibility and register for the clean-up program at brv.vic.gov.au/cleanup or by phoning 1800 560 760.

Information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at disasterassist.gov.au