Bushfire Recommendation Campaign

South East NSW Bushfire Crisis – Impact, Response & Recovery Report

Community Industry Group recently released the South East NSW Bushfire Crisis – Impact, Response & Recovery Report

We worked directly with service providers in disaster-affected areas, and heard first-hand accounts of the impact on individuals, families and communities. We have heard about what has been and is currently being done, what should be done, and how bushfire affected communities are recovering and rebuilding.

Our report also includes seven recommendations for recovery.

  1. Employment Issues
  2. Children, Families and Young People
  3. Aged Services
  4. Disability
  5. Housing and Homelessness
  6. Mental Health
  7. Community Development and Support

We are advocating for the recommendations to be implemented and encourage community service organisations and individuals to get involved. Please see our template below to assist you with your own advocacy initiatives.

Key Recommendation

$5 million per year for 5 years (total $25 million) additional program funding for services targeting vulnerable individuals, families and communities in the bushfire impacted areas in South East NSW.

The key message from community service providers across the region was the overwhelming demand for additional services from programs and organisations which were already at or over
capacity. As one provider noted “we are on everyone’s recovery plans or referral lists, but there is no additional funding for additional services attached”.

Increasing funding by $5m will support a 50% increase in the provision of vital services to vulnerable individuals, families and communities. It will provide up to 50 much needed jobs and will ensure in excess of 1400 additional hours of direct service delivery per week across the region.

As the impacts of trauma associated with major crises can often emerge or recur many years after the event, this funding needs to be appropriately indexed and secured for a minimum five years.

Click here for our printable Recommendations flyer.

We need your help to get these recommendations implemented.

We have created a template letter that you can use to send to your local Member of Parliament. Please feel free to use the text as is, or to personalise it to describe the impacts on your clients or organisation.

Members of Parliament

  • Contact details for MPs (State and Federal) can be found here.

Recommendation 5: Housing and Homelessness – Our Recommendations:

$5 million per year for 5 years ($25m) additional program funding for services which support communities in the bushfire impacted areas in South East NSW, including crisis accommodation and outreach services.

Inclusionary zoning – at least 15% affordable housing in new developments, to be introduced across NSW.

Innovative finance solutions to develop more social housing:
– Public Housing to be classed as public infrastructure to open up investment options (i.e. Waratah Bonds).
– Government to work with industry to develop Affordable Housing using institutional investment.

The development of an Affordable Housing Strategy for all NSW Local Government Areas.Permanently increase income support payments to ensure recipients are living above the poverty line, and able to secure safe and appropriate housing.

  • Click here for a our printable flyer detailing these issues and recommendations.
  • Click here for our media release about homelessness in South East NSW.
  • Click here for our short video about homelessness in South East NSW.
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