Council
16 April, 2026
Shire lodges inquiry submission
CORANGAMITE Shire Council has lodged a push for Victorian Government to take significant action in a bid to strengthen its preparedness for future bushfire seasons.
In a submission to the inquiry into the 2026 summer fires across Victoria, Corangamite Shire Council has detailed seven key recommendations.
Mayor Kate Makin said the scale, speed and complexity of the January fires had exposed serious gaps in Victoria’s emergency management systems.
“While we are incredibly proud of our community’s resilience, we need the State to act now so we are not left this vulnerable again,” she said.
“The local firefighting effort involved about 190 appliances, including 50–60 private farm units, supported by heavy machinery and volunteer groups.
“The existing equipment is ageing and volunteer numbers are falling, which underlines the need for serious investment in equipment and fleet upgrades, training and practical support to retain emergency volunteers.
“Our volunteers are extraordinary but they cannot continue doing more with less.”
Cr Makin said local governments carried a disproportionate share of the emergency burden.
“Councils are expected to lead preparedness, relief and recovery with funding that simply does not match the level of responsibility,” she said.
“Municipal Emergency Resourcing Program (MERP) funding has not kept pace with growing obligations and more frequent catastrophic conditions.
“The state must fix this before the next fire season.”
Cr Makin said the shire also believed the fires revealed alarming weaknesses in critical infrastructure, including power and telecommunications reliability.
“If phones are down, if the power is out, people cannot receive warnings or protect their families,” she said.
“The State must prioritise telecommunications redundancy and community‑level backup power systems.”
Council’s submission also calls for a significant expansion of roadside fuel management, which remains a major concern among residents.
“Recovery must be locally led and backed by flexible funding, particularly for fencing, mental health and small business recovery,” Cr Makin said.
“Our submission covers pretty much every single one of the inquiry’s 11 topics, but it isn’t looking at the impacts of recovery efforts.
“Recovery is resource-intensive and needs flexible, community-specific funding that reflects the realities of rural communities
“Homes, sheds, fencing, livestock, fodder and essential infrastructure were destroyed and our affected residents have a long and complex recovery ahead.
“Our communities have done everything asked of them. Now we need the State to step up.”
Cr Makin said council would continue advocating through the inquiry and has requested an opportunity to speak directly to the committee.
Community members are encouraged to make their own submissions at parliament.vic.gov.au/2026firesinquiry before the deadline this Sunday, April 19.