Shaping the direction of a fire recovery program

A public meeting will be held tomorrow night to determine community member’s views in establishing a community recovery committee for the Bunyip Complex fires.

The committee would help shape the direction of a recovery program for the Bunyip Complex fire area and residents.

Cardinia Shire Council is hosting the meeting tomorrow night, from 6.30pm to 8pm at the Tonimbuk Hall.

The session will be facilitated by Anne Leadbeater, an expert in disaster recovery and community resilience.

Anne has her own consultancy specialising in disaster recovery and community resilience. Her background is in emergency management, community development and adult education, working first in the neighbourhood house sector, and then for 16 years in local and state government.

Anne lives in Kinglake and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her work in the aftermath of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.

The committee will be the main advisory group to council and the state government.

It will play an important role in identifying priorities for the local community’s recovery.

Tomorrow night’s meeting is designed to establish people’s thoughts on topics including: Who should be part of the group; Who/what needs representation; How many members should the group have; Where should members live; How should the group be appointed; and, What would you like the group to do for you. This meeting is not seeking people to join the committee just yet. However, if you think you might be interested in being on the committee, or want to ensure the committee represents your views, then you are encouraged to attend.