Nearly 20 Victorian communities and councils will be eligible for a jointly-funded recovery assistance, after recent floods and storms have damaged homes, roads and businesses.
A Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements program, DRFA, aims to provide assistance to communities and councils affected by the floods and storms that started on December 24, 2023.
Eligible communities and councils include the Alpine Shire, Baw Baw Shire, Benalla Rural City, Campaspe Shire, East Gippsland Shire, Gannawarra Shire, Greater Bendigo, Loddon Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire, Mansfield Shire and Mitchell Shire.
Other eligible local government areas include Mount Alexander Shire, Murrindindi Shire, South Gippsland Shire, Strathbogie Shire, Wellington Shire and Yarra Ranges Shire.
Emergency Recovery Victoria (ERV) is working with Victorian councils to understand the assistance needed to support communities facing floods and storms.
Minister for Emergency Services Jaclyn Symes said they were working with the federal government to make the funding available.
"By making emergency relief assistance available it goes someway to help with the immediate needs of Victorians who in many cases are still recovering from previous significant emergency events in recent years," she said.
Meanwhile, Victorian families affected by recent storms and floods may be eligible for financial help to cover food, clothing, medication and other living necessities through the Personal Hardship Assistance Program (PHAP).
PHAP provides emergency relief assistance through the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing with a one-off payment of $640 an adult and $320 a child, with a limit of $2240 for each family.
Eligible families would have a primary place of residence that was in an evacuation warning area, and damaged by the floods or storms, or a home that flooded above the floor.
The federal and state governments will also provide funding for local governments for counter disaster operations and emergency works for urgent transport, infrastructure and public asset restoration.
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the support was designed to help people meet immediate needs including food, clothes and medical assistance.
"I want to assure those affected that we are working as quickly as possible to make assistance available and I want to thank emergency services personnel and volunteers for their efforts," he said.
"Although the majority of the floodwaters have peaked and the forecast is for conditions to ease over the coming days, the impact on communities will be long-lasting and we will continue to work closely to support recovery efforts."
People can find more information about the eligibility of relief payments at an Emergency Relief Centre, or through their local council.
Information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government's website at disasterassist.gov.au and the VicEmergency website emergency.vic.gov.au/relief
