General News
30 December, 2023
FREE TO READ Damage data now being collected by shire
A WEEK after the start of violent winds and ferocious rains that ripped up hundreds of kilometres of fences and damaged homes across the region, Loddon Shire today said it had started collection of data from the Christmas storm. The shire's online...
A WEEK after the start of violent winds and ferocious rains that ripped up hundreds of kilometres of fences and damaged homes across the region, Loddon Shire today said it had started collection of data from the Christmas storm.
The shire's online announcement follows yesterday's refusal by Emergency Services Minister Jaclyn Symes to declare the shire a disaster area and her statement thatif financialassistance was required, "we have to undertake assessments and councils are working on that right now, feeding it back to the state government as is appropriate."
"Local Councils go and assess the damage, they feed this into Emergency Management Victoria and ERV who then speak to the Feds about the activation of DRFA which is the financial assistance," the minister said.
Today's online post by the council isthe first statement since Boxing Day when Mayor Gavan Holt said the storm bill would put added pressure on council finances.
Cr Holt said there remained challenges to access government funding for repairs needed following the October 2022 flood emergency.
It is believe council's start on collection of data would assist with pushing for early government assistance.
The council said: "Council is collecting information to identify the impact of the recent storm/flood event on rural/farming properties.If your property sustained damage, grain/feed or stock loss in the Christmas/Boxing Day event we are keen to make contact with you." The contact email for affected landowners to provide council with damage data ismrm@loddon.vic.gov.au
Council earlier this week said it had a 10-member work crew out on Christmas Day while on Thursday staff were cutting grass in Wedderburn's Jacka Park and on main street nature strips.
Nationals Leader and Murray Plains MP Peter Walsh is the only MP to have visited the flood-hit areas of Wedderburn and Korong Vale where an estimated 300km of farm fences were destroyed and stock losses are still be counted.
Mr Walsh says declaration of a disaster would allow farmers to quickly access $75,000 grants to rebuild fences and contain stock.