Bushfire Recovery Shoalhaven

Ernst & Young (EY), in partnership with State Government, are launching free virtual Business Support Drop-In Centres to deliver support to local businesses.

The recent bushfire devastation in regional NSW, combined with the COVID-19 crisis, has amplified the need for tailored and intensive support for small and medium sized businesses in the bushfire-affected communities.

EY are launching free virtual ‘Business Support Drop-In Centres’ to deliver this support to local businesses. EY staff will work alongside community representatives to provide intensive, tailored support to help businesses move from the immediate response phase into a mid-term recovery phase.

These centres will kick off in the week commencing 18 May 2020 and are supported by the NSW Government. The virtual centres will initially operate for 10 weeks in Kangaroo Valley/Southern Shoalhaven.

If you are a local business and need support, or know of a business that might benefit from this opportunity please send an email to joanna@gssnet.com.au for further information.

The weekly Recovery Newsletter was developed to keep the community up-to-date on the important work the Recovery Action Team are undertaking. To view the latest issue visit Recovery Newsletter - 15 May 2020.

Following the devastating flora and fauna loss from the bushfires, feeding and water stations were set up with remote camera surveillance in late February.

This footage has aided in research, providing researchers with a better understanding of the animals in the area, with cameras deployed in Manyana, Kangaroo Valley, Corramy Reserve and Tomerong. Kangaroos (Eastern Grey), Wallabies (Swamp & Red-Necked), Brush-tailed possums, Wombats, and an array of birds including Ravens, Bowerbirds, Parrots, magpies and ducks have been spotted.

Council continues to conduct surveys and collaborates with NSW Agencies.

View some of the footage here.

Are you part of a team or group building resilience in your community?

Could your story inspire someone else?

The Resilient Australia Awards celebrate initiatives across Australia that help make communities more resilient to disasters. The awards recognise collaboration and innovative thinking across all sectors. Winning submissions in each state and territory are considered for National awards.

The 2020 Resilient Australia Awards are open for submissions until Monday 8 June 2020.

For more information about the awards, including how to make a submission, visit the Resilient Australia Awards webpage.

13 May 2020

Have you made your community stronger and better prepared for disasters?

The NSW Get Ready Community Award celebrates a NSW community that has worked together to make their community more prepared and better able to recover from disasters.

Applications can be submitted by local organisations, volunteer groups, community organisations or local council, on behalf of the community.

Applications are open until 5 July 2020.

For more information, including how to apply, visit the NSW Get Ready Community Award webpage, call 02 9212 9283 or GetReadyNSW@justice.nsw.gov.au.

11 May 2020

Local economic recovery plans will help towns and regions hit by bushfires get back on their feet as part of a new $650 million package of support from the Australian Government.

As part of the Regional Bushfire Recovery and Development Program, bushfire affected communities will share in $448.5 million to support the delivery of local recovery plans with priority given to the most severely impacted regions, drawing on local voices and local governments in close partnership and as part of cost-sharing arrangements with states.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the National Bushfire Recovery Agency (NBRA) would lead work to drive a strong economic recovery so the more than 18,600 families and businesses in bushfireaffected areas could get back on their feet.

“This is about locals leading the recovery with the NBRA and our state and local partners ensuring our support gets to where it’s needed most.”

The projects could include building community capability and wellbeing, including through workshops and events, focus on the landscape and water, replacing produce and stock, supporting local jobs and building future resilience.

The Government’s assistance comes on top of more than $1.33 billion dollars rolling into bushfire affected communities. This includes around half a billion dollars in grants and loans that have already flowed to families and businesses, as well as $214.9 million in disaster recovery payments and $240 million in Community Recovery Packages.

The new support also includes:

• Forestry Transport Assistance ($15 million): To assist the forestry industry with the increased costs of transporting burned salvaged logs over longer distances to surviving timber mills or storage sites in bushfire affected areas in Victoria and New South Wales.

• Community Wellbeing and Participation ($13.5 million) - backing Primary Health Networks with additional funding to provide critical, localised emotional and mental health support for bushfire affected individuals.

• Bushfire Recovery for Species and Landscapes ($149.7 million) - supporting efforts that go beyond the immediate devastation on species and natural assets through habitat regeneration, waterway and catchment restoration including erosion control, weed and pest management.

• Telecommunications Emergency Resilience ($27.1 million as well as $10 million from the mobile blackspots program) - strengthening telecommunications capabilities prior to future natural disasters, including the deployment of approximately 2000 satellite dishes to provide a link if other connections are damaged, plus batteries and solar panels, to rural fire depots and evacuation centres.

To read the full media release visit the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.

To access support and to find further details, visit the National Bushfire Recovery Agency website.

The weekly Recovery Newsletter was developed to keep the community up-to-date on the important work the Recovery Action Team are undertaking. To view the latest issue visit Recovery Newsletter - 7 May 2020.

Shoalhaven City Council has submitted submissions to the NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry and the Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements.

View the submissions below, or in the Document Library on this web page:

NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry

Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements

The NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry welcomes submissions from bushfire-affected residents, emergency and support personnel, organisations and the general public. Everyone is encouraged to share their experience and tell their story. Submissions close on Friday 22 May 2020.

The Royal Commission is holding hearings to gather evidence about the response to and recovery from disasters. Public submissions closed on 28 April 2020.

For more information visit the:

NSW Independent Bushfire inquiry website

Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements website

If you’ve been impacted by bushfires, contact Service NSW's Customer Care Service.

Brickworks are offering to supply free of charge Austral Bricks for bushfire affected properties, including delivery, if you had austral bricks before. They are also offering 50 per cent off other building materials in their product range.

For further information please visit the Brickworks website.

The weekly Recovery Newsletter was developed to keep the community up-to-date on the important work the Recovery Action Team are undertaking. To view the latest issue visit Recovery Newsletter - 30 April 2020.