Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update Edition 10: 4th November 2009

Welcome to the tenth edition of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority’s community newsletter, Recovery Update. This regular newsletter will provide important information for affected communities. We hope you will fi nd it useful and informative.

Christine Nixon’s message - A Word from the Chair

New Bushfire Guide for Tourism Operators

The Victorian Government recently launched a guide for tourism businesses to assist in preparing, responding and recovering from events like bushfires.

Premier John Brumby said the guide, Crisis Essentials would be available to all Victorian tourism businesses ahead of the approaching fire season.

“This guide gives clear and decisive information about what tourism operators need to do to protect their business in the event of a crisis. It will be supported by a series of briefi ngs and workshops for tourism businesses located in high fire risk areas,” Mr Brumby said.

The guide provides advice and information to tourism operators including:

• how to identify, assess and manage risks
• information on developing a brief plan that outlines how to respond in an emergency or bushfire situation
• information on the best ways to communicate with existing and potential customers
• how to ensure business continuity immediately following an emergency situation.

Tourism Victoria will also commence a campaign this summer aimed at raising visitor awareness of the bushfire safety risks in Victoria and what people need to consider when planning a holiday in high-risk bushfire areas.

Many tourism operators can experience the negative economic impacts of a bushfire even if their property is not directly affected by fires.

The Crisis Essentials guide will support the more comprehensive Open for Business crisis management publication which will be available shortly.

To get a copy of the Crisis Essentials guide call Tourism Victoria on 9653 9777 or visit www.tourism.vic.gov.au

I recently joined the Prime Minister and Premier at Flowerdale for the launch of Rebuilding Together, A Statewide Plan for Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery.

This document represents an important step forward in the reconstruction and recovery process as it sets out the next steps in the reconstruction effort.

This will include rebuilding what was lost, and in many cases, improving the infrastructure and services in affected towns.

The Rebuilding Together Plan commits $193 million to deliver hundreds of projects to bushfire-affected towns, with $117 million from the Australian and Victorian governments, $56 million from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund and $20 million in philanthropic and corporate donations.

The plan refl ects our desire that individuals make decisions about their own future and the future of their communities, and we have been working closely with 30 Community Recovery Committees on their Recovery Plans.

These plans enable communities to identify the projects and initiatives that are important to them in their recovery and reconstruction over the coming months and years.

Additionally, in conjunction with Community Recovery Committees we will continue to identify projects in bushfire-affected regions that will benefi t communities impacted by bushfires, and will be working closely with the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund to fund these initiatives.

I believe the Rebuilding Together Plan will play an important role in enabling us to look forward to a time when fire-affected communities can again face the future with confi dence and optimism.

I encourage you to view the plan and visit the interactive map of bushfire-affected communities at www.wewillrebuild.vic.gov.au

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 9: 2nd October 2009

Welcome to the ninth edition of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority's community newsletter, Recovery Update. This regular newsletter will provide important information for bushfire affected communities. We hope you find it useful and informative.

Christine Nixon's message - A Word from the Chair

Community Recovery Committees play an integral role in the recovery and reconstruction of bushfire-affected areas.

I would like to thank the 30 Community Recovery Committees throughout the state who have worked tirelessly with their respective local councils and the Authority to produce Community Recovery Plans, and identify their priorities for recovery.

The task of identifying and developing these plans has been the result of many hours spent by members of the community, councils and the Authority at meetings, planning days and workshops over many months, and all involved are to be commended for their efforts.

The plans recognise that communities have different needs and priorities and will rebuild and recover at their own pace.

They identify community priorities for the future including restoring or replacing fire-affected public and community infrastructure such as schools and halls, public reserves and parks, and include other initiatives that will help communities recover such as the establishment of youth groups and support services.

So far Community Recovery Plans statewide have identified more than 800 priorities.

The Authority is currently prioritising the projects within these plans for funding, with the initial focus on funding those projects that are a direct consequence of the fires and will help to support the economic and social recovery of communities in the short-term.

The aim over the next few weeks is to finalise incorporating priority projects from the community plans into a statewide plan for reconstruction and recovery, which will be the first phase in addressing community funding priorities.

Funds for these projects will include a mix of funding and support from the government, the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund and other corporate and philanthropic organisations.

Over the past eight months there has been a significant amount done with communities in partnership with all levels of government and we hope to continue this as we work towards the long-term recovery and reconstruction of towns throughout Victoria.

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 8: August 20th 2009

Welcome to the eighth edition of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority’s community newsletter, Recovery Update. This regular newsletter will provide important information for bushfire affected communities. We hope you find it useful and informative.

Christine Nixon's message

It's now more than six months since Victoria was devastated by the worst bushfires in Australia's history.

As people begin to come to terms with the challenge ahead and making decisions about their future, it's important to remember that you need to take time out to do some of the things you have enjoyed in the past. As the Australian Psychological Society points out in an article included in this newsletter, it is important to 'down tools' from time to time and get some rest. You may find this helps when you want to resume working on your projects.

For many communities the reconstruction and recovery process is well underway and the Authority is working hard to support your efforts.

Some of our early progress includes:

• A total of 99 per cent of registered clean ups have been completed. People can still apply to have their property cleared if they haven't already done so by calling 1800 240 667
• Most families and individuals have settled into temporary accommodation. Temporary villages have been established at Flowerdale, Kinglake and Marysville, with more temporary housing being established at Whittlesea.
• A Mobile Building Advisory Service has been established to help those intending to rebuild in bushfire affected areas. For more information on the Mobile Building Advisory Service and its operating hours, please refer to the story on Page 1.

The Authority also recently released its Six Month Report detailing our progress since the February bushfires.

The report can be downloaded at www.wewillrebuild.vic.gov.au or alternatively, please call the Victorian Bushfire Hotline on 1800 240 667 and they will print and mail a copy to you.

As the rebuilding process gains momentum, we will continue to consult and work with communities to ensure they can move forward and rebuild their lives and townships.

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 7: July 13th 2009

Welcome to the seventh edition of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority's community newsletter, Recovery Update. This regular newsletter will provide important information for bushfire affected communities. We hope you find it useful and informative.

A Word from the Chair

As I continue to visit the areas and people who have been affected by the February bushfires, I am encouraged by people's resilience and their determination to rebuild their lives and communities.

The rebuilding process is no easy feat – however we are committed to working closely with communities to plan for their futures in the short, medium and longer terms.

We understand that people heal at their own pace and in their own way. While some people are moving ahead with their rebuilding plans, we appreciate others are still grappling with whether or not they will rebuild and return to the area.

As people work through their rebuilding options many are still finalising their temporary accommodation requirements.

I'm pleased to report that earlier this month, the first residents moved into the Kinglake Temporary Village. There are also Temporary Villages established in Flowerdale and Marysville.

There is still capacity within the two Temporary Villages at Kinglake and Flowerdale for those reconsidering their interim accommodation options. If you're interested you should speak with your Case Manager or housing worker at your local Community Service Hub. We are also looking at establishing temporary accommodation in Whittlesea.

I encourage everyone to consider their temporary accommodation options carefully, as in many cases these arrangements will be required for at least 12 months, and perhaps even as long as two years.

I recognise that this can be a challenging time, but remember you are not alone – assistance is available and there are many reasons for you to be optimistic about the future.

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 6: June 19th 2009

Welcome to the sixth edition of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority's community newsletter, Recovery Update. This regular newsletter will provide important information for bushfire affected communities. We hope you find it useful and informative.

Message From Christine Nixon

Since the last newsletter the property cleanup program has surged ahead, with 2636 properties now completed and the project well ahead of schedule. Some property owners - believed to be up to 200 - have not registered for the free cleanup. I urge people who may have been putting off the cleanup to register as quickly as possible, or they may miss the opportunity to have their property cleared for free.

With the cleanup operation coming to an end, many are now entering the planning for rebuilding phase. For most people, this is an overwhelming time, with so much to do and so many decisions to make. Three Rebuilding Advisory Centres in Marysville and Kinglake and a mobile service, will provide people with support and advice about every step in the rebuilding process. You can read more about the new Centres in this newsletter.

Winter is bringing new challenges for people rebuilding after the fires, but also new opportunities. Winter tourism will provide a significant boost to fire affected communities, many of which are gateways to Victoria's ski regions. The tourism support package provided by the State and Federal Governments will help communities make the most of the winter season.

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 5: June 1st 2009

Welcome to the fifth edition of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority's community newsletter, Recovery Update. This regular newsletter will provide important information for bushfire affected communities. We hope you find it useful and informative.

Message from Christine Nixon

Gaining Strength and Rebuilding

Since the last newsletter we reached the milestone of 100 days of recovery. The task is unprecedented, and so is the progress and commitment of many.

Across government, business and the whole community, so many people have helped, and so many remain committed to supporting communities - long after the headlines fade away.

The long-term recovery process is just beginning. As we move from the early, immediate needs stage to addressing longer term needs, we have more problems to solve. People will face many challenges in this phase, and the Authority will be there to support them.

As people are getting stronger, they are doing more planning for the rebuilding of their homes and businesses. Many complex decisions and choices about how to rebuild, and where they will live in the meantime, need to be made.

For many, the onset of winter is bringing about a reassessment of their medium-term housing choices. Surveys are being conducted through Case Managers about people's current housing situation and their needs.

This information will help us support people to make decisions about temporary housing, whether it's in a caravan on their property, a shed that is later converted to a garage, or one of the temporary villages.

The Authority will be putting information out to help people make decisions about rebuilding. We will be working with other parties – builders, architects, councils and Building Commission Victoria – to help people build homes they can afford, whether they are using some of their own money, money from the Appeal Fund, insurance money, or a combination.

We will be setting up building display centres in areas to help people make decisions about the kind of houses they want to build.

I believe that if we work with people to find different solutions that suit them, then almost everyone who wants to will be able to rebuild.

We recognise that every community heals at its own pace, and in its own way. We are supporting communities through the 26 Community Recovery Committees that are gaining strength and starting to work on their plans for the future.

The rebuilding phase will be enormously challenging, but we will work with each community to get the job done as fast as possible.

Christine Nixon, APM
Chair, Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction
and Recovery Authority

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 4: May 15th 2009

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority's community newsletter, Recovery Update. This regular newsletter will provide important information for affected communities. We hope you will find it useful and informative

Message from Christine Nixon

With community planning in bushfire affected regions underway, we are now focusing on helping people through the colder months.

The Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund recently launched its Winter Needs grants. This means people who received payments for lost or damaged homes will automatically have an extra $2000 to help pay for heaters, blankets, clothing, gas and electricity bills or insulation. To receive these grants you must have previously applied for or received Rebuilding and Recovery Grants from the Appeal Fund or received National Disaster Relief and Recovery arrangements.

Winter grants through the Appeal Fund are also available for communities to hold winter events like film nights or local dances – the kind of activities that bring people together during winter.

The Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority will oversee the Winter Community Grants program in close consultation with existing Community Development Committees.

As I continue to visit the bushfire affected townships, I am encouraged by the display of strength and resolve in these communities.

The recovery and rebuilding process is a complex one and we are committed to working closely with communities to plan for their futures both in the medium and longer term.

So far, almost 4400 people have attended community meetings across bushfire affected regions and we now have a much better idea of the needs and issues of specific communities. I will continue to meet Community Recovery Committees and I urge people in bushfire affected areas to keep us informed about how they want their homes and towns rebuilt.

I look forward to keeping you up-to-date as the rebuilding process gains momentum.

CHRISTINE NIXON, APM
Chair, Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 3: April 30th 2009

Message From Christine Nixon

In the past seven weeks I've been on the road meeting communities from Yarram to Mudgeegonga, and the hardest hit areas of Marysville and Kinglake.

The 24 town meetings I've attended in this time have given me an incredible opportunity to meet people, listen to them and gain an understanding of the task ahead.

More than 4,160 people attended these meetings to talk to us about what has happened to them. I thank each and every one of them for their attendance, and for those who helped organise the meetings, because it has given me a deep understanding of each community's needs.

Many thoughts, views, stories and experiences were shared. Every community was different, with different needs and experiences. There was criticism, praise, anger, and hope.

I hope that I have assured communities that we will be with them for the long haul as they recover and rebuild. As we find problems we're working on solutions, and some are harder to resolve than others. We are still dealing with major challenges like the clean-up task, repairing fences, and housing arrangements.

What has emerged from the community meetings is a detailed picture of what is required.

The task falls under five themes:

• People
• Communities
• Reconstruction and Rebuilding
• Economy
• Environment

Guided by community feedback, the Authority is getting on with the recovery task.

Whether it's clearing the seven million burnt trees and working to renew the environment, supporting community events, or helping people rebuild their homes and businesses, we are putting the plans in place across government, and working with communities to try to help people return to normality.

Many people are suffering the psychological impacts of a major trauma. I hope the local meetings with Dr Rob Gordon, and the information we are providing about coping with trauma in these newsletters, will help people.

There will be challenges and tough decisions to make as we recover and rebuild. Through the community strength I have seen first hand, backed by the government and the whole Victorian community, I know there are many reasons to be optimistic about the future.

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 2: April 9th 2009

Message from Christine Nixon

Across Victoria bushfire affected communities are getting on with the job of rebuilding.

Community Recovery Committees are being formed, priorities determined, and plans developed. The Authority is getting right behind the efforts of these communities.

I have spent much of the past fortnight visiting towns to directly consult with communities about what is needed. I have now visited more than 20 bushfire affected towns across Victoria.

These visits are helping the Authority understand how we can best support local recovery committees to develop their recovery plans as they will lead the recovery effort from the grassroots up. You can read more about Community Recovery Committees elsewhere in this newsletter.

I’m also pleased to inform you that discussions between councils and State Government are underway to agree a fast-tracked building permit approval process. We will keep you up to date as this progresses.

Christine Nixon
Chair, Victorian Bushfire
Reconstruction and Recovery Authority

Download this newsletter as pdf - Recovery Update : Edition 1: March 20th 2009

Message from the Prime Minister and the Premier

Australians will never forget the pain and devastation of Black Saturday. The tragic loss of life and destruction of homes, properties and towns inflicted a terrible sense of grief on us all. However fire affected communities want to rebuild – and the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments are ready to help.

Rebuilding Victoria after the 2009 bushfires is the biggest reconstruction effort since Cyclone Tracy. It will involve communities, the private sector and all levels of Government. Most importantly, the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments will ensure that affected regions, towns and individuals are all actively involved in the rebuilding effort. This newsletter will keep you up to date about the rebuilding process. It will provide practical information in the one place. It will also keep you informed about the work of Victoria’s Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, which is already working to address immediate and shortterm rebuilding challenges on the ground.

Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to help our fire-affected communities reclaim their lives. The road ahead will be challenging, but if the courage, determination and community spirit demonstrated by the Victorians at the heart of this tragedy are anything to go by, together we will succeed.

Kevin Rudd
Prime Minister of Australia

John Brumby MP
Premier of Victoria