Councils become 'critical frontline actors' in crisis response

Image Credit: La Trobe University - Campaspe River Flooding in 2022

A new report has highlighted a joint emergency response by five local councils in northern Victoria during the 2022 floods, one of the most severe weather events in the state’s history. The councils, forming the Northern Victorian Emergency Management Cluster, coordinated efforts to operate a major emergency relief centre and establish a field hospital in Bendigo, supporting evacuees from Campaspe Shire over a two-week period.

The strengthening Collaborative Emergency Management Report, led by La Trobe University, found that combining resources and working together allowed the councils to better meet local needs during the crisis. The collaboration helped address resource shortages, staff burnout, and complex community demands.

The Bendigo Showgrounds Emergency Relief Centre housed over 280 evacuees, offering medical care, meals, laundry services, and trauma-informed support. Loddon Shire, one of the hardest-hit areas, reported $36 million in asset damage, $100 million in crop losses, and the death of 3,500 livestock.

The report emphasised the importance of local knowledge, mutual trust, and institutional support in emergency management, especially as climate change increases the frequency and severity of disasters. It also called for more responsive funding systems and legislative frameworks that enable collaboration.

At the heart of the findings is a simple truth: effective emergency management is about resilience, response, and recovery for real people.