Flood assistance available for January storm

By Djembe Archibald

Feb 8, 2024

Grange St, Mooropna following the storm on January 3, 2024.

Victorian communities affected by the recent December and January storms and floods, will receive additional support from the Victorian and Federal Governments.

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The package announced this week includes more than $105 million for increased financial assistance to support the immediate and long-term recovery and rebuild phase.

The assistance includes:

Emergency roadworks from larger-scale works like, the rebuilding of roads, bridges and culverts to finding and fixing potholes, and asphalting and repairing road surfaces damaged by the severe weather events to get flood-affected Victorians back on the road.

Expanding the Emergency Recovery Hotline which enables residents affected by disasters to access information about available programs that can help them recover and connect them with mental health, business, legal and financial support services.

Expanding the Recovery Support Program which can provide storm and flood-impacted residents with access to a dedicated Recovery Support Worker, playing an important role to connect them to critical services and support programs specific to their recovery journey.

Additional mental health and wellbeing support including psychological First Aid training programs, face-to-face mental health and wellbeing support from the Bendigo Mental Health and Wellbeing hub, free and subsidised telepsychology services from Rural Health Connect, and proactive emergency outreach visits and group counselling sessions.

These additional support services will be available in the 28 local government areas where disaster assistance is already available, including the Personal Hardship Assistance Program.

To access recovery support, impacted residents can call the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760.

If you think you may be eligible for re-establishment assistance, you should contact your local council.

Information on disaster assistance, including PHAP is available on the Australian Government’s website at disasterassist.gov.au