Premier Jacinta Allan said the catastrophic weather had a “devastating impact on so many communities and we’re making sure Victorians who need help are getting it as quickly as possible”. Photo: @JacintaAllanMP.
Following extensive storms that destroyed homes and took out power across Victoria, the State and Federal governments have opened a range of support mechanisms for those affected.
On 13 February catastrophic weather damaged vital transmission infrastructure, leaving around 500,000 residents without power. While 90 per cent of those were reconnected to the electricity network within 48 hours, those still impacted are now able to receive a Prolonged Power Outage Payment.
Households lacking power for seven days after the storm are eligible for $1920 per week for up to three weeks, thanks to the State and Commonwealth government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the governments were working together to ensure households could get the support they needed to buy basic items to help their recovery.
Distribution businesses are administering payments, helping families buy necessary goods and find alternative accommodation. Those impacted may also be eligible for assistance under the Victorian Guaranteed Service Level payments, which, dependent on individual circumstances, provide electricity bill credits.
Access to generators will be prioritised for the most vulnerable, but residents of the Mirboo North community already have access to a large-scale generator deployed as a central power hub by AusNet.
State Energy and Resources Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the extra generators and support payments would not only help financially, but ensure affected residents could get back on their feet.
Residents from the 21 local government areas (LGAs) impacted by storms, now also have their waste levies waived until 30 April so they can dispose at their local tip for free. Other LGAs are to be added to the list as required, so recovery activities can be done more efficiently.
State Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos said there was a big task ahead to clean up storm damaged areas and the government was helping get the recovery underway by waiving fees for storm waste disposal at local tips in the most heavily impacted areas.
- The 21 LGAs eligible for the waste fee waiver are:
- East Gippsland Shire Council
- Wellington Shire Council
- Latrobe City Council
- South Gippsland Shire Council
- Bass Coast Shire Council
- Baw Baw Shire Council
- Yarra Ranges Council
- Cardinia Shire Council
- Alpine Shire Council
- Murrindindi Shire Council
- Greater Dandenong City Council
- Monash City Council
- Casey City Council
- Knox City Council
- Kingston City Council
- Bayside City Council
- Glen Eira City Council
- Mitchell Shire Council
- Melton City Council
- Greater Geelong City Council
- Mansfield Shire Council
