Media Releases

The Victorian Coalition Government’s flood recovery employment program will be extended until December 2012 due to high demand, Water Minister Peter Walsh said today.
The $6 million program was announced in March last year to train skilled local people who had been directly affected by flooding, and then employ them to assist with flood recovery works.
Mr Walsh said while there had been a slow uptake in the beginning due to wet conditions, participant demand in November had more than tripled since June.
“At the end of November last year almost 140 people had participated in the program, so that’s 140 people who could have otherwise been without any income,” Mr Walsh said.
“It’s also 140 people helping to clean up their community.
“This program is vital to both support the local economy in flood affected areas and assist with the clean up of flood damage, which can be a huge task for small communities.”
The flood recovery employment program is delivered by Victoria’s Catchment Management
Authorities in the Glenelg Hopkins, Goulburn Broken, Mallee, North Central, North East and Wimmera regions.
Member for Mildura Peter Crisp said demand in the Mallee CMA was particularly high, so $550,000 from the program’s contingency fund would be allocated to meet the need in that area.
“We are committed to ensuring Victorian communities get the assistance they need to recover from months of devastating floods,” Mr Crisp said.
“DSE will also review the flood recovery employment program in March to assess demand, resources and future needs to make sure we are spending the right amount of money in the right places.”
For more information about the flood recovery employment program, contact your local CMA or the Department of Primary Industries on 136 186.