Wednesday, 13 May 2026

 Gaelle BROAD (Northern Victoria) (18:50): (2522) My adjournment is to the Premier, and the action I seek is for the government to prioritise support for communities struggling to recover following the summer bushfires. Disasters hit regional communities the hardest, and the government’s community-led approach to emergency response recovery has left people feeling abandoned, because many have been. Listening to those directly impacted, a community-enabled approach is needed.

Following the bushfires, I have spoken with residents. CFA volunteers shared their frustration about relying on ageing fleets and failing equipment; calling for backup strike teams and air support with none available; asking for more water and being told no; driving past their own homes on the back of a truck and watching them burn; residents in communities where backup for essential services failed, which put lives at risk; an elderly couple just out of Alexandria still buying bottled water over a hundred days after the fires; the Fawcett community desperately calling for star pickets to rebuild fences destroyed by fire; residents in need of mental health support being told to wait or that none is available; confusion and delays with the state government’s clean-up programs so far behind; a lack of government support to assist with euthanising stock; and delays seeking the support of wildlife volunteers.

The slow-turning wheels of disaster recovery funding arrangements between federal and state governments are full of bureaucratic red tape. Our state government expects local councils to step up during a disaster but failed to deliver the funding or resources to help communities get back on their feet. Inequitable funding adds to the pressure, especially for communities with the greatest impact, like Murrindindi and Strathbogie shires. It is easy for the government to put out a media release that support is available, but requiring people to apply for assistance across various different agencies shifts the burden onto individuals who are already struggling to survive. Facing a pile of paperwork when you have experienced such loss simply adds to the trauma.

During the hearings I shared community concerns and called on the government to extend the waiver for tip fees – it was due to expire yesterday, 12 May. The day before the government extended the waiver until 30 June. That is not long enough and again adds to the pressure and red tape that residents continue to face. I am part of a parliamentary committee considering the state’s response to the summer bushfires and I do not wish to pre-empt the findings or recommendations of the report, but as the Nationals representative for Northern Victoria I have a responsibility to highlight these issues.

The fact that we have no standard playbook for support following disasters is problematic when Victoria is one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world. The fires are no longer in the media headlines, but the communities are still suffering, and I ask the Premier to ensure that the communities impacted by the fires can access the services they need to get back on their feet.