Investing now in emergency management will "pay off in the long-run", an Indigo Valley resident and worker in the sector has told Indigo Shire.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Karen van Huizen remains involved in recovery projects after 2015 fires and is Alpine Shire's emergency management co-ordinator.
Ms van Huizen spoke to council about the importance of stronger investment in resilience during a meeting to hear public submissions on their draft budget and operational plan.
"The draft plan acknowledges climate change and the impacts that it has," she said.
"It's good to see you putting money into different areas, but I believe there's an inequity there in building resilience.
"Having an investment in supporting this sort of work will make it a lot less difficult in the long run.
"Natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity - we've just seen that in the Dandenong Ranges."
When asked by mayor Jenny O'Connor what sort of investment was warranted, Ms van Huizen raised that Indigo Shire employs an emergency management staff member on a 0.5 full time equivalent position.
She said it was common across all councils for co-ordinators to be employed part time but pointed out this could be problematic.
"An email went out to emergency management coordinators ... for support in the Yarra ranges, that came through on Friday," Ms van Huizen said.
"Well, I know I don't work on Friday, Chris at your shire doesn't work Friday and Paul at Wodonga doesn't work Friday, so we didn't get that message until Tuesday ... (and) Yarra Ranges needed support.
"We haven't got the capability right across the state, right across sector, and I think it's because it hasn't been business as usual in the past, and it can be embedded into business as usual."
Councillors congratulated Indigo Valley residents for their award-winning work and Ms van Huizen encouraged the shire to enable community-led processes.
"Our valley has continued to build on their resilience relationships with agencies," she said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"We have documented recently our risks, our strengths, our capability and capacity, and we've started discussions not only on emergencies but food security and water security. All communities have the opportunity to lead."
There are seven draft documents on exhibition for public comment including the Draft 2021-22 budget, with 22 submissions so far on the budget.
A "disproportionate spend" on public footpaths in comparison to cycle tourism projects was raised by two submitters in Tuesday's live-streamed meeting.