Jennifer Pittorino
A community-run flood recovery group has been formed to help those who are still battling ongoing problems caused by the 2022 floods.
Maribyrnong Community Recovery Association (MCRA) president Madeleine MF Serle said the group has only existed for a few months and has already grown to 400 members.
“MCRA is concerned with representing who was flooded by the Maribyrnong floods,” she said.
“This includes Avondale Heights, Ascot Vale, Kensington and Darraweit Guim, we have a ‘whole of catchment approach to flood recovery.”
Ms Serle formed MCRA at the end of last year after leaving Maribyrnong councils Community Recovery Committee in October.
“It became quite clear that the community needed an independent voice and to not have a recovery committee which was inside council,” she said.
“I realised I took a different view of what the importance was of defending the community, I saw it as having a role in advocating for the community and being active.”
Upon leaving the CRC, two other members came with her: Pauline Ashton who is now MCRA vice president and Linh Nguyen.
“I also brought in two experts, one being Dr Faye Bendrups who is an emergency management advisor, Geoff Crapper who is a hydrological advisor, as well as Stan Korkliniewski who is treasurer,” Ms Serle said.
“We all have shared interests and shared issues, but obviously have different experiences on October 14, nevertheless our management going forward will be very similar.
“We all have very similar experiences in resilience and recovery, so I think our strength will be to work together as a community.”
Ms Serle said the MCRA is being supported through corporate social responsibility and local businesses, as well as having partnerships with key social agencies like Anglicare and cohealth.
“Highpoint Shopping Centre also donated us a room to work from, which we are using,” she said.
“MCRA is based on really old-fashioned grassroots advocacy, so I have developed three parts which we will focus on.”
Ms Serle said the first part is home, safe and dry, which is all about getting people back into their homes.
“This is about making sure they are getting insurance assistance, so we are lobbying and working with social agencies to make sure people are getting whatever financial and psychological help they can get,” she said.
“That is the human part, we are putting humans first.”
The next part is emergency management and planning.
“We are absolutely clear that there is no emergency management plan and we will move to show that fairly soon as we issue our first position paper on that,” Ms Serle said.
“We think there needs to be a return to a community based system of awareness and engagement with the responsible authorities.
“Emergency management starts with getting the community aware because it will happen again and people need to be ready and prepared and they absolutely are not.”
The third part is mitigation resolution, which Ms Serle said is the most strategic role for considering how to live and work safely in Maribyrnong.
“We are engaging with environmental groups, business groups and other areas to work out a reasonable compromise for a healthy return to safe life,” she said.
“When I set it up, I specifically created categories of membership that are residents, families, friends of residents, and interested parties who just think they need to support it.”
Those interested in joining the initiative can contact MCRA.
Details: contact@mcra.au
