The state government met with the community in Beechworth on Thursday night, and with selected representatives in Stanley yesterday, to gather feedback on the royal bushfires commission report.

But Cr Mautone said communities in Mudgegonga, Rosewhite, Running Creek and Kancoona warranted further consideration because they actually bore the brunt of the bushfires on Black Saturday.

“I’m sure our community would be disappointed by the fact that they have been ignored on this consultation process by the Premier,” he said.

“We hope that he will correct himself with those communities because they deserve better.”

Cr Mautone also criticised the lack of notice about the meetings, saying many of the Black Saturday victims were unable to attend.

The Border Mail understands just a handful of residents from Mudgegonga were able to make the meeting in Beechworth, while just one couple made the 100km round trip from Dederang.

“We knew the day before in Melbourne that the state government was in Beechworth on Thursday night,” Cr Mautone said.

“But we didn’t know anything about this (meeting in Stanley at 2.45pm) and I received a phone call at almost 1.30pm.

“So I had to rush to get changed and I was hoping to have a quiet day today.”

But Premier John Brumby, during his visit to Stanley yesterday, said it was simply not possible to be in every shire in the state.

“But I think if anybody feels that they want the opportunity to say more, they can do that through emails, they can do that online, they can do it in correspondence or they can do that on talkback radio.”

The government has announced in-principle support for 59 of the commission’s 67 recommendations.

A total of 21 public meetings are being held across the state in a week with comment sought on evacuations, powerlines, the role of local government, fire refuges, compulsory acquisition and fuel reduction.