Flood Relief Assistance 

Federal Government:  

Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment: A lump sum of $1000 per adult and $400 for each child younger than 16 for any residents seriously affected in the following areas: Campaspe, Greater Shepparton, Maribyrnong, Mitchell Shire, Strathbogie. New Zealanders in these areas can also get the payment. You will need to link Centrelink to your myGov account. More information here: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/victorian-floods-october-2022-australian-government-disaster-recovery-payment

Disaster Recovery Allowance: Payment equivalent to the maximum JobSeeker Payment or Youth Allowance for lost income as a direct result of the Victorian Floods in the following areas: Alpine, Benalla, Buloke, Campaspe, Central Goldfields, Corangamite, Gannawarra, Greater Bendigo, Greater Shepparton, Hepburn, Horsham, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Mansfield, Maribyrnong, Mitchell, Moira, Moonee Valley, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Strathbogie Wangaratta. You need to earn less than the average Australian weekly income in the weeks after you had this income loss. New Zealanders can also get the above payment.  

You will need to link Centrelink to your myGov account. More information: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/victorian-floods-october-2022-disaster-recovery-allowance

Victorian Government: 

Victorian emergency relief assistance payments of $560 per adult and $280 per child. You can apply here: https://emergencypayments.dffh.vic.gov.au/  

Personal Hardship Assistance Program’s Emergency Re-establishment Assistance fund is only available for the hardest hit, providing up to $42,250 for uninsured properties. You will need to call the Flood Recovery Hotline at 1800 560 760 to inquire about the re-establishment assistance. 

Crisis Accommodation: 250 beds will open on Tuesday for crisis accommodation at the Mickleham facility. You will need to call Emergency Management Victoria’s Food Recovery Hotline at 1800 560 760 to receive a referral. 

OHS resources and information

Please find below links to resources from regulators and government departments on mitigating risks associated with storms and flooding for your consideration. If you have any queries that are not addressed by these resources, please send your question to Ask Renata.

Comcare

1. Key resources
2. WHS duties for employers and workers
3. Working in floods and flood recovery
4. Work health and safety duties and risks management
5. Planning for cleanup and recovery
6. Mental health and wellbeing
7. Notification of incidents
8. Flood and storms hazards

WorkSafe Victoria

1. risks associated with working in the wet

OHS Reps – VTHC hosted website information

1. mould
2. biological agents
3. right to refuse unsafe work
4. psychological stress
   1. information and websites
   2. action plan for HSRs
5. preparing for emergency evacuations at the workplace

Additional resources from WorkSafe Queensland:

1. Storms and floods
   1. Work health and safety laws when cleaning after storms and floods
   2. Electrical safety during storms
   3. Steps for planning to do work safely
   4. Managing volunteers during flood cleanup and recovery
   5. Working at a height
   6. Demolition
   7. Asbestos – removal of, and work on asbestos-containing material
   8. Chemical hazards
   9. Slips, trips and falls
   10. Biological hazards
   11. Fatigue management
   12. Psychological stress
   13. Manual tasks
   14. Displaced fauna
   15. Quad bike use
   16. Animal carcass disposal after floods
   17. Operating wheeled or tracked machinery in the wet

Other resources

1. Bureau of Meteorology
2. Vic Gov
   1. Trauma reaction and recovery
   2. Emergencies - floods
   3. After a flood – animal and insect-related hazards
   4. After a flood – returning home safely
   5. Flood warning services
3. NSW Gov - Maintaining health during and after floods and storms
4. Federal Government
   1. What to do before, during & after a flood
5. ABC
   1. Plan for an emergency flood
6. Victoria State Emergency Service