MADRA Community Led Recovery Plan Outline
Over the next few weeks, we will progressively put out chapters of our draft Community Led Recovery Plan for your thoughts and comments. Plan chapters will be disseminated by email and be available on our website (madrecovery.com). Hard copies will be available at the Recovery Hub and the Genoa Pub for those not connected to the internet. Comments can be submitted via the MADRA suggestion boxes outside the Post Office and Genoa Pub or by email to mallacoota.district.assoc.2020@gmail.com
Why have a Recovery Plan?
Our Recovery Plan is a dynamic document which reflects our community’s priorities as we recover from the devastating bushfires of 2019-20.
The Plan has a number of uses:
To guide MADRA in its community led recovery and advocacy roles.
As a resource for community organisations seeking information to support repair and renewal activities and funding applications.
To enable our external funding and service delivery partners - government and philanthropic organisations - to understand how to best meet our recovery needs.
The Recovery Plan is not the product of one author or committee. Instead, it captures and synthesises the thoughts and efforts of many individuals and organisations. In so doing, we lay the foundations for community led recovery. This is OUR recovery story.
Normally, we would have had community and workshops to gather ideas. COVID-19 has prevented this so we have had to do things ‘back to front’. The Plan is therefore in draft form pending community endorsement of projects and priorities; it’s also a very much work in progress as we get our heads around ‘community led’ recovery and what is possible.
Recovery plan structure
The Plan is structured as follows:
Chapter One provides background information and scope including our Mission and Vision.
Chapter Two contains information about MAD including history, geography, demography, values and critical infrastructure.
Chapter Three outlines our bushfire recovery framework.
Chapter Four contains analysis and strategies for assessing our needs.
Chapter Five outlines projects pertaining to aboriginal healing and culture.
Chapter Six looks at our priorities for our people and wellbeing.
Chapter seven looks at initiatives for replacing and renewing our buildings and infrastructure.
Chapter Eight outlines ways of restoring and reinvigorating our economy including business initiatives.
Chapter Nine details initiatives for restoring, protecting and valuing our environment and biodiversity.
Chapter Ten looks at budget and finance issues including grants and donations.
Recovery Plan timeframes
Projects are grouped into three timeframes.
Right Now
Our immediate priorities are:
Looking after those members of our community who were directly impacted by the bushfires.
Using our friendships and networks to ensure no-one slips between the recovery cracks.
Identifying gaps and shortfalls in recovery service delivery and advocating for affected individuals, groups and organisations with the responsible authorities.
Working with emergency services groups and agencies on disaster preparedness including infrastructure, services, community education and plans (including local emergency and fuel management plans).
Working with EGSC and Parks Victoria on designs for replacement infrastructure such as jetties, steps, boardwalks and lookouts.
Conveying community concerns and preferences to our local elected representatives on issues such as roads, economic and communications infrastructure.
Planning how to restore and protect our natural environment, cultural and historical assets.
Working with philanthropic organisations re possible uses for donations and gifts.
Working with our funding and service delivery partners with the aim of the ‘right help in the right place at the right time’.
Seeking community ideas for the important first anniversary of the fires, knowing this will be a traumatic time for many.
Where possible, managing media interest in our bushfire recovery to reduce trauma and protect privacy.
At the same time, we also have to ‘make hay while the sun shines’ with available grant and donation opportunities which have an application expiry date. This means matching projects and initiatives with funding opportunities.
Short term (two to three years)
Our next set of priorities moves beyond initial replacement and repair. Projects derive from bushfire ‘lessons learned’ and include:
Infrastructure and services which were not in place during the bushfires and are needed in the event of future disasters.
Initiatives for enhancing our social connections, networks and resources.
Working in partnership with government agencies and MDBTA to strengthen our local economy.
Strategic (Our Vision and beyond)
As the recovery process unfolds, our priorities morph from recovery to resilience. These enduring projects have a longer incubation period and require extensive community consultation and commitment. This set of projects might encompass:
Revisiting our town planning framework.
‘Big ideas’ for new community facilities.
Adding value to major infrastructure projects through increased amenity (for example, adding foot and bike paths as part of road works).
Thanks,
MADRA