Murrindindi Shire Council has welcomed the Victorian Parliament's Inquiry into the 2026 summer fires, while formally calling for the submission deadline to be extended to allow meaningful participation from the communities most heavily impacted.
Murrindindi Shire experienced almost half of the total statewide impact from the 2026 summer fires, including 193 homes destroyed, making it the hardest-hit municipality in Victoria.
Mayor Cr Damien Gallagher has written to the Premier and Leader of the Opposition requesting a two-month extension, noting that Murrindindi Shire has experienced a disproportionate share of the impacts of the fires across the municipality.
The Longwood Fire continues to generate ongoing response and relief consequences, and recovery activity is now underway with a long journey ahead.
Cr Gallagher said Council supports the establishment of the Inquiry and its intent, but the current deadline of 15 March does not reflect the realities facing fire-affected communities.
"We welcome the Inquiry and the opportunity for lessons to be learned," Cr Gallagher said.
"However, our community is still in the early stages of recovery. Many residents remain displaced, households are still stabilising, and families, farmers and businesses are focused on meeting immediate needs and rebuilding their lives."
Since 9 January, local communities across Murrindindi have led relief efforts, including the operation of community-led relief hubs, often in isolated conditions due to road closures, extended loss of power and telecommunication and dangerous access constraints. Volunteer groups, local CFA brigades and community organisations continue to provide sustained on-the-ground support.
Council itself remains under significant and sustained operational pressure, supporting ongoing response and relief activities while coordinating the clearance of more than 450 kilometres of fire-impacted local roads to restore safe access for residents, emergency services, utilities and recovery providers.
At the same time, Council is establishing new teams, governance arrangements and systems to support medium and long-term recovery, with many staff directly impacted by the fires and redeployed into emergency-related roles.
Cr Gallagher said expecting those with direct lived experience of the fires to prepare considered submissions at this stage places an unreasonable burden on already traumatised communities.
"The impacts on our residents, businesses and community groups are still very raw," he said.
"It is unreasonable to expect people who are displaced, rebuilding, managing stock losses or dealing with ongoing trauma to have the time, capacity or emotional bandwidth to engage meaningfully with the Inquiry at this point, and they need their voices to be heard."
Council is seeking a two-month extension to 15 May 2026 to ensure submissions from heavily impacted rural communities are informed, reflective and of genuine value to the Inquiry's outcomes.
"For this Inquiry to be effective, it must hear accurate, comprehensive and evidence-based information that reflects both the immediate response and the full impacts experienced by rural and regional communities," Cr Gallagher said.
"An extended timeframe would ensure those most affected can participate in a way that is fair, considered and proportionate to the scale of impact experienced in Murrindindi Shire."
Council will continue to encourage community members to make a submission when they feel ready and able to do so, recognising that revisiting fire experiences may be difficult for many.
