MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have endorsed a draft “Community Disaster Resilience Plan”, which will now be released for community input. The decision was made at the council’s 2 September and will identify local strengths, needs, and priorities with emergencies and disasters.
The draft plan will guide how the council supports the community to prepare for clear communication during emergencies, as well as plan and prioritise emergency preparedness activities, and assess the impact of its actions and improve future responses.
A statement from the council’s draft plan said it focused on leading change and coordinating preparedness through strong networks and partnerships, and also educating and engaging the community about disaster readiness, and empowering individuals.
Cr Cam Williams welcomed the draft plan, saying it “provides us with the framework for community disaster resilience and reflects feedback we’ve heard from our residents and our partners”.
However, he noted it “must also acknowledge that at this stage, it risks being too high level and without detailed delivery planning, there is a danger of over promising and costly duplication”.
“That’s why I support releasing the draft for consultation, but with clear expectations. I think we need to see sharper implementation, detail, transparency around costs and a strong integration of the work already done by the CFA, SES and other emergency services,” Williams said.
“Our community wants some practical, tangible results, not just another strategy on paper. On that basis I move the motion to encourage our residents to provide their assessment and detailed feedback.”
Deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro agreed, saying 539 participants had provided feedback and urged more community members to share their thoughts.
The council is currently building community preparedness and resilience through relief and recovery networks in high fire danger areas including Red Hill, Main Ridge and Shoreham. This included attending meetings, running emergency scenarios, co-designing resources, and providing climate change grants for neighbourhood gatherings.
Energy backup systems including solar, battery, and generator setups have also been installed at Red Hill Pavilion, Flinders Golf Club, and Balnarring Pavilion with funding from the state government to support emergency relief hubs during times of crisis.
First published in the Mornington News – 16 September 2025
