In May 2009, the federal government granted Indigo Shire Council almost $3.5 million to help upgrade facilities to become emergency staging and relief centres.

The funding breakdown: Yackandandah's sports park $1.2 million, historic hall $1.3 million, Stanley's hall $117,000 and recreation reserve $90,000, and Beechworth's Baarmutha Park $900,000. When not being used for relief centres, community and sporting groups can use these facilities. However, only Stanley Recreation Reserve is being used as a neighbourhood safer place.

A further concern is the lack of communication and support for those residents who do not have transport or any internet access and therefore have not received the council's bulletins or been able to get information from the Vic Emergency website or app. There has been no direct letterbox drop sent to residents advising where to access information.

Much work needs to be done - if Beechworth came under attack in January it would have been a disaster with evacuation centres only being in Wodonga and Wangaratta.

What happens when our roads get closed off which has happened in previous bushfires? Who is going to help those who don't have transport or worse still don't even know a bushfire is about to strike?

Many people are worried that democracy in Australia is on the wobbles.

Politicians are elected to give firm leadership and manage situations for the benefit of the nation, but recently we have been coping with a feeling of insecurity and uncertainty as politicians squabble among themselves as they strive to win the next election, rather than developing steady policies on energy, poverty, domestic violence, food, water and rising temperatures.

Question time shows us a Parliament where our elected representatives spit hate and venom towards each other, yell and shout, rather than discussing an issue with intelligence and integrity.

There is more insecurity as we witness so much lawlessness with many road fatalities being caused by drunk drivers in stolen cars as well as break-ins, gang violence in public spaces, consumers being ripped off in the financial services sector, mismanagement of the Murray-Darling water catchment and the rampant advancement of organised crime. Building regulations not being enforced has lead to several high rise buildings falling apart with a huge loss to those who bought the apartments. Entrepreneurs have evaded the law by becoming insolvent, often the same ones repeating their illegal efforts to take short cuts for quick profits.

This seems bleak, but just over the horizon is a future of renewable energy with Australia in the lead. We have an abundance of natural resources, especially the salt and lithium for the development of the batteries of the future. We have some clever people creating new technologies. Now we need leaders who can bring all this together.