October South-Eastern Floods: key information

As with any crisis, it is solidarity that will see us through safely, and we hope that each and every one of our customer members (and their families and friends) are safe through the floods over the coming weeks. We’ve got a quickfire list of helpful links to assist customer members (and help you to help others):

• Up-to-date and accurate emergency information for your area: this ABC website allows you to find nearby incidents to your location and the relevant emergency broadcaster (along with other helpful advice).
• Dealing with power outages and emergencies: your network provider manages the actual critical energy distribution infrastructure (draw whatever critique you like of privatised retailing from that observation), so it’s important to know who they are and how to contact their 24/7 emergency hotlines. If you’re not sure who your distributor is then check your energy bill or otherwise use this Australian Energy Regulator website to find them.
• Emergency relief funding: the Australian social security system can be punitively Dickensian but you can check on what is available here through the federal government, the New South Wales government, the Tasmanian government, and the Victorian government. Given our patchwork and inadequate systems, the relief situation is likely to change and may well be different across different jurisdictions.
• Health Support during floods: this factsheet is from flooding earlier in the year but is a federal government resource on health support for flood-impacted members of our community, including mental health support. Mould is also a health issue with heavy rain and floods. Here’s what you need to know.