Some Victorian flood victims were given marching orders from emergency accommodation in a letter slipped under their doors. Victoria’s purpose-built quarantine centre in Melbourne’s outer north was set up as temporary emergency accommodation in mid-October 2022 after widespread flooding hit central and northern parts of the state.
The Victorian government on Thu. 16 announced it would stop operating the Mickleham site from the end of March, handing the centre back to the federal government.
Treasurer Tim Pallas said authorities attempted to contact the remaining 44 residents from five local government areas but not all could be reached.
“Ultimately in the absence of being able to make contact we had to slip a letter under the door,” he told reporters on Fri. 17.
“But that was pretty much the exception rather than the rule.”
The 1000-bed site opened in February 2022 and was used as a quarantine facility towards the end of Australia’s COVID-19 response after several leaks from hotels.
More than 250 people impacted by the floods sought shelter at the $580 million facility and most have since moved back into their own homes or other accommodation.
Pallas said it was not cost effective for the site to stay open.
“As the numbers have been dwindling over time, the effort of keeping the facility open is just cost prohibitive and keeping the staff there,” Pallas said.
“But we will work with the individual families to make sure that they will get appropriate accommodation.”
Residents will be helped to return to their own homes or into alternative accommodation closer to home, such as private rentals, social housing, hotels and caravan parks.
Some may have temporary accommodation set up on their own properties as part of a potential pilot program.
Pallas indicated the Andrews government would either cover or subsidise the cost of alternative accommodation, depending on the circumstances.
“Nobody’s going to be homeless as a consequence of this,” Pallas said.
“That’s the timeline, making sure that everybody’s got appropriate accommodation. It might not be optimal but we'll make an effort to look after the wellbeing of each an every individual affected.”
