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Publish Date: 16 April 2020
The impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is being widely felt. Council continues to play a key role in supporting our community and providing essential services.
As we have communicated over the past few weeks, we want you to know that Council is here for our community and adapting in accordance with fast changing information from the State and Federal Governments.
We have responded to the global pandemic in a range of ways.
Council has adopted a COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy in response to the uncertainty created by the pandemic. Council’s aim is to provide assistance to ratepayers through the COVID-19 event without creating additional financial stress when the pandemic has been resolved.
The policy supports residents and ratepayers who may experiencing increased financial pressure during the health alert and applies to rates payments, interest on fees and charges and registration fees.
Mayor, Cr Carolyn Stewart, said Council is doing all it can to support the community and business during this crisis.
“Council is here for the community in every way we can be. The COVID-19 Financial Hardship Policy is just one plank we have put in place. We want to work with individual rate payers experiencing financial hardship to tailor a way forward, specific to their needs.”
“We encourage ratepayers who are facing this reality to contact Council and set up a payment plan which will reduce the amount of debt owing after the pandemic. A proactive approach now will decrease the burden that deferring all financial responsibilities would impose”.
The policy and other measures have been put in place to support the community and assist Council in continued delivery of vital services.
What Council has already put into place to support the community:
If you are experiencing financial hardship, a circumstance of experiencing a lack of financial means either ongoing or temporary, on a personal level, you may wish to obtain advice from a community financial counsellor. You can talk to a financial counsellor from anywhere in Australia by calling 1800 007 007 (Monday to Friday, 9.30 am – 4.30 pm). This number will automatically switch through to the service in the State or Territory closest to you, or you can visit the National Debt Helpline at www.ndh.org.au
Residents who have not been directly impacted by this crisis can also make a positive difference by paying their rates and fees on the regular schedule, allowing Council to continue delivering many essential services for our most vulnerable residents including home and personal care for aged and disabled residents. It is an important time to do what we can.
Council continues to deliver budgeted capital works programs as scheduled and continues to support our workforce with different working arrangements.
Council has launched Social Media campaigns around social distancing and non-essential travel and have been prevalent on Facebook at Twitter where a high percentage of our population are active.
Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Judd, stated Council is doing all it can in implementing a raft of supportive measures whilst ensuring the safety and well fare of the community and staff.
“Buloke Shire Council is continuing to monitor all announcements from other levels of government. We are also joining with other municipalities across Victoria to lobby the State Government for additional hardship measures that will support our impacted businesses and residents, along with seeking a deferment of the significant increase in the waste levy charged by the Victorian Government”.
Council continues to be here for you during the pandemic. You can contact Council via
Financial hardship is a circumstance of experiencing a lack of financial means, which may be either ongoing or temporary. If you are facing financial difficulty on a personal level, you may wish to obtain advice from a community financial counsellor. You can talk to a financial counsellor from anywhere in Australia by calling 1800 007 007 (Monday to Friday, 9.30 am – 4.30 pm). This number will automatically switch through to the service in the State or Territory closest to you, or you can visit the National Debt Helpline at www.ndh.org.au
Stay up to date with current information via Council’s Facebook page or at https://www.buloke.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-health-alert
End release For further information contact Manager Customer Engagement, Travis Fitzgibbon on 03 5478 0181 or tfitzgibbon@buloke.vic.gov.au