What is it?
Council is seeking further funding to support our municipal emergency management responsibilities.
The current funding under the Municipal Emergency Resource Program has not increased since its introduction, yet salaries and staff costs increase annually.
The current funding model only provides council with funds to ensure it fulfils its basic roles in emergency management. The changing climate and community expectations is increasing the support needed for the community.
Why is it needed?
Current municipal emergency management funding limits council to minimum statutory compliance and does not enable proactive resilience building in communities.
Climate change is driving more frequent, severe and prolonged emergencies, increasing operational complexity, recovery demands and pressure on councils and emergency services.
At the same time, community expectations of council leadership, communication, preparedness and recovery support continue to rise.
Targeted, sustained funding for community resilience will reduce risk, streamline emergency response, accelerate recovery and strengthen the effectiveness of Victoria’s emergency management system.
The ask
Council currently receives $120,000 through the state’s Municipal Emergency Resource Program Funding annually through LGV. Council is seeking to increase the funding model by $113,000 (Total - $233,818) to be able to resource two permanent full-time officers.
Specifications
- Location: Shire-wide
- State seat: Lowan & Ripon
- Federal seat: Mallee
- Advocacy type: Lead
- Council plan goal: Clean it up: Sustainability, climate and waste
- What has been done so far: Several local government emergency management capacity and capability assessments have been conducted, which highlight council’s resource limitations for emergency planning and resilience building activities.
- Local Government Victoria Councils & Emergencies Project 2016-20
- Emergency Management Gap Analysis Project 2022
- Emergency Management Victoria Capability and Capacity Project 2025
- Strategic alignment:
- Council Plan and Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2025–29
- Municipal Emergency Management Plan 2023-26
- Grampians Region Emergency Management Plan 2023
- Victoria State Emergency Management Plan 2024
- Community Resilience Strategy 2024