Local CFA volunteers take their concerns to parliament after Operation Richmond

12 August 2026

Cleeland invites EmergencyServices Minister to see recovery failures firsthand

The Nationals Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, has invited Victoria's newEmergency Services Minister to visit the electorate and meet communities stillliving with the impacts of recent disasters.

Ms Cleeland extended theinvitation during an adjournment debate in Parliament this week, urging the newMinister to listen directly to residents affected by 2026 bushfires and 2022floods, where government recovery efforts had fallen short.

"In nearly four years since I was elected to this role, our region hasendured floods, drought and bushfires, with the Labor Government failing torespond to calls for help since 2022," Ms Cleeland said.

"The primary role of a government is to help Victorians in need. Ratherthan talking about disaster recovery from Melbourne, come to regional Victoriaand see the reality of recovery on the ground."

Given the new Minister’sbackground in emergency services, Ms Cleeland said she was hopeful for morecapable leadership, "although he must see on the ground the consequencesof seven months of policy failure".

"The response to the Januarybushfires has been slow, fractured and dysfunctional, and the Minister has aresponsibility to see for himself what bad policy looks like on theground," she said.

"The clean-up program has been dysfunctional, causing the slowest recoveryfrom a disaster in recent years. Many people are still in insecure housing, andmany have received rates notices for properties that have been significantlydevalued or lost entirely."

She said the need for rate relief and fast-tracked permit approvals had alsobeen escalated to new Treasurer, after his predecessor failed to respond tocalls for help from the region.

"Disasters should never be politicised. I'm appealing to the hearts of thenew Minister and Treasurer to support our community to rebuild," MsCleeland said.

"Rate relief has been the precedent set by previous disasters. Without it,and without fast-tracked permits, some localities will be unable to rebuild atall.


"For many in my electorate, this is not their first disaster - some havebeen through floods and fires within a few years, and they shouldn't have tokeep fighting government systems while rebuilding their lives.

"I've invited the Minister to sit down with these communities, see therecovery work still unfinished, and understand that regional Victoria is askingfor action, not promises. I sincerely hope he accepts."