Liberal Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has called on the State Government to extend funding to ensure financial counsellors can remain working with the flood-stricken Rochester community.
Speaking during the adjournment debate in a contribution directed to Consumer Affairs Minister Danny Pearson, in State Parliament last week, Ms Lovell said the financial counselling service currently being provided to the Rochester community in the wake of the October 2022 flood was achieving positive results.
The service is being provided by Anglicare Victoria, who have two dedicated counsellors on the ground in Rochester and is funded by the Victorian Government.
“I first raised the need for financial counselling services for flood victims in Rochester with the Minister in February this year and I was devastated to hear during a visit to Rochester in July that State Government funding for the financial counselling services delivered by Anglicare will expire in November,” she said.
In her contribution, Ms Lovell said it is concerning that the current government funding to Anglicare Victoria for the two financial counsellors expires in November, despite there still being a huge demand from many Rochester residents for the service.
Ms Lovell said she had been informed that as of July 20, the two counsellors had assisted 158 families, with 114 of these cases ongoing and around 30 more families waiting approximately nine weeks to be allocated a case worker.
“Despite their massive caseloads, the two counsellors currently on the ground in Rochester are making a positive difference for victims continuing to rebuild their lives and the Minister needs to announce a funding extension immediately to allow this vital service to continue.”
Ms Lovell is a sitting member of the Environment and Planning Committee’s Inquiry into the 2022 Flood Event in Victoria, which commenced in Rochester late last month, where 90 per cent of homes were flooded above floor level.
She added failing to continue the funding for these services past November 2023 would be a huge blow to the Rochester community and called on Mr Pearson to extend the funding for the financial counsellors.