Permit help as fund reaches $1m

Eight months after the Longwood-Berrys Lane bushfires, the Strathbogie Disaster Relief Fund has passed $1 million in donations and launched a new program to help residents rebuild. The fund's first targeted recovery initiative, the Housing Rebuild Permit Program, is now open to eligible fire-affected residents in the Strathbogie and Mitchell shires. The program provides rebates of up to $500 for planning permit applications relating to replacement homes and up to $300 for septic tank permits. Community Advisory Committee member Don Cook said the assistance was aimed at reducing some of the financial burden facing residents rebuilding after the fires. "The permit application process is understood to be an essential element of the rebuilding journey," Mr Cook said. "Subsidising these fees for people simply wanting to reinstate what's been lost is a small measure with a big impact." The permit rebates are the first of several funding initiatives planned by the disaster fund, which will also provide support for local CFA brigades, school-based wellbeing initiatives and projects identified through community recovery committees. The fund has already distributed about $250,000 through rapid response grants to more than 170 individuals and households affected by the fires. The new funding programs follow consultation with Community Recovery Committees established in both Strathbogie and Mitchell shires. According to the fund, future assistance will focus on priorities identified by residents themselves, including support for local CFA brigades, school-based wellbeing initiatives and practical help for families continuing to recover from the fires. The committee's plans have drawn heavily from a recent Mitchell Shire fire recovery survey which found that while 86 per cent of respondents strongly agreed they feel connected to and supported by their community, the coming six to 12 months will be defined by strengthening those connections, supporting the rebuild process, and maintaining health. Access to grants and recovery funding, along with targeted support for older and vulnerable residents, was also identified as an ongoing priority. Mr Cook said the fund's focus was now shifting from immediate relief towards longer-term recovery. "What we know from the Community Recovery Committees, and the conversations they're having with their residents, is that grant and funding support is still vital in enabling them to practically move forward," he said. The fund said future programs would continue to be guided by feedback from local communities, with residents identifying rebuilding support, community wellbeing and targeted assistance for vulnerable people as ongoing priorities during the next stage of recovery. While the fund has now surpassed $1 million in donations, organisers say further support will be needed as the rebuild continues. Residents seeking information about the Housing Rebuild Permit Program can visit www.strathbogiedisasterrelief.com