Minister for Justice Michael Keenan and Victorian Minister for Emergency Services James Merlinoannounced a range of additional disaster assistance activated in response to recent flooding affecting parts of Victoria.

Mr Merlino said NDRRA assistance would be rolled out to 22 flood affected local government areas and extended to other areas as required.

“A range of assistance is available to eligible individuals including personal hardship and distress assistance and financial and personal counselling,” Mr Merlino said.

“Assistance is also available for local councils to help with the cost of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets, such as roads and bridges, and removal of debris from homes to make them safe and habitable.”

Minister Keenan said assistance was provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements.

“Both the Australian and Victorian governments are committed to supporting flood affected communities,” Mr Keenan said.

“A range of additional assistance has now been activated by the Australian and Victorian Governments to ensure that all flood affected communities have the support they need to recover from these devastating floods.”

SES incident controller Ray Jasper said the peak levels were lower than the February 2011 floods, which devastated Skipton – leaving it without a pub and supermarket. The peak levels reached in 2011 was 6.04 metres.

Corangamite Shire north ward Councillor Geoff Smith visited the region on Wednesday and Thursday, speaking to residents and assessing water levels.

“The water has gone down quite a bit but residents are still wondering, there is quite a possibility (something could happen),” Cr Smith said. 

“I think the community was resigned to the fact that the water is there and could rise  – I am very happy with what was being done, the new drainage system has made a difference and we were  very satisfied with the response from the emergency services.”