New Fire Recovery Unit for Victoria
30 June 2011 at 11:18 am
The new Fire Recovery Unit comes into effect from 1 July 2011 to oversee Victoria’s ongoing bushfire recovery effort.
The new Unit replaces the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority set up in the immediate aftermath of Black Saturday in 2009.
The VBRRA oversaw a range of programs and initiatives that have been delivered by Government departments and agencies, councils and Not for Profit groups.
The Victorian Government says that while these initiatives have now been resumed by respective Government departments or agencies, the Fire Recovery Unit (the Unit) will have an important role in assisting the ongoing recovery of bushfire-affected communities by facilitating strong relationships and coordinated responses to ongoing community needs.
The Unit will monitor and report on rebuilding progress, communicate key information and provide advice and support to communities and local Government and provide an interface between the State Government and affected communities regarding bushfire recovery.
The Unit will sit within Regional Development Victoria (RDV) in the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) .
The Government says the Unit will also work closely with the Mobile Rebuilding Advisory Service and the Bushfire Response Planning Unit in DPCD, as well as the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF) to respond to medium to longer term recovery needs.
The new Fire Recovery Unit (FRU) will be led by John Joyce, from Regional Development Victoria (RDV) who has been working closely with the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBRRA) during the transition.
In his new role Joyce will supervise the Fire Recovery Unit which will oversee the ongoing bushfire rebuilding and recovery effort, and he will be the key contact point into the State Government for affected communities and take over some of the continuing functions currently delivered by VBRRA.
Joyce is also the Director of Regional Major Projects with RDV – a statewide role that focuses on projects of State significance, including work on the Murray-Darling Basin.
Previously, John held leadership roles including Acting Regional Director and Manager, Housing and Community Care, Hume Region (Department of Human Services) which included responsibility for child protection, juvenile justice and public/social housing outcomes.
Download the Information Sheet about the Fire Recovery Unit at http://www.rdv.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/336744/Information-Sheet-Fire-Recovery-Unit.pdf
