In accordance with section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994 a copy of this report was provided to the departments of Premier and Cabinet, Treasury and Finance, Sustainability and Environment, Primary Industries, Justice, Business and Innovation, Human Services, and Planning and Community Development with a request for submissions or comments.
Local government councils with a dedicated Flood Recovery Officer (FRO) were required, as a condition of the FRO's role, to conduct an evaluation of flood recovery in their municipality.
Common themes raised in the evaluation reports included:
In the May 2011 National Partnership Agreement (NPA) for Victorian Flood Reconstruction and Recovery was signed. The Commonwealth Government agreed to provide Victoria with financial assistance in accordance with the provisions of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).
The Secretaries' Flood Recovery Group (SFRG) was set up to provide the necessary authority for rapid, coordinated and high quality recovery actions by the Victorian Public Sector and provide coordinated advice to Cabinet and the Ministerial Flood Recovery Taskforce.
Departmental secretaries and agency heads from:
After the floods, a range of relief and recovery programs were rolled out to assist communities, businesses and primary producers. This audit examined 15 relief and recovery initiatives delivered by Victorian government departments.
The model for flood relief and recovery involved all departments, nine of which administered a number of programs funded by the Commonwealth and the state under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). Local government played an important role in overall relief and recovery efforts.
The success of disaster relief and recovery efforts relies heavily on a well-defined governance structure, clear leadership authority and well-defined agency roles and responsibilities. Good planning for implementation is also crucial.
Between September 2010 and March 2011 Victoria experienced some of the most extensive and damaging floods in the state's history. These floods affected 70 of the 79 Victorian local government areas, with 16 of them very severely impacted.
Major damage was caused to whole communities, roads, rail networks, community infrastructure and the natural environment. Some communities were inundated several times, with repeat damage to homes, businesses and the agricultural sector.
Between September 2010 and March 2011 Victoria experienced some of the most extensive and damaging floods in its history. These floods affected 70 of the 79 Victorian local government areas, with 16 very severely impacted. Major damage was caused to whole communities, roads, rail networks, community infrastructure and the natural environment. Some communities were inundated several times, with repeat damage to homes, businesses and the agricultural sector.