Flood recovery jobs set to start flowing
Monday, 23 May 2011
Applications are open for people wanting a job under the Victorian Government's $6.15 million Flood Employment Program.
The one-year program is expected to create over 150 part time jobs and will be delivered by Victoria's catchment management authorities (CMA) in partnership with the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE).
Minister for Water, Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh said the flooding last year and early this year caused significant damage across much of Victoria.
The program will provide employment for food and fibre producers and other rural workers in jobs that repair and protect natural assets and infrastructure damaged by this summer's floods.
It will also enable important skills to be retained within rural communities and provide an income stream to food and fibre producers and other rural workers until they are able to return to full-time on-farm employment.
Applications sought are for jobs involving:
- riparian protection and fencing
- control of weeds such as blackberry, willow and gorse
- rabbit warren destruction
- cleaning up flood debris and rubbish in waterways
- controlling erosion that threatens public assets
- clearing out drains that service environmental water sites
- erecting stock containment pens
The program is backed by a further $1.5 million to provide materials and resources for this vital flood recovery work including fencing materials, weed, pest and erosion control and native plants.
It will take a lot of hard work to restore the infrastructure and deal with the debris, weeds and pests from the flood, but we can do it with the support of the community.
The program covers the Mallee, Wimmera, North Central, North East, Goulburn Broken and Glenelg Hopkins CMA areas. Interested applicants are encouraged to contact their local CMA for more information.
