Moreland COVID-19 Community Support newsletter includes updates on the Moreland Be Kind campaign, council and community services.
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UPDATE: Please note there was a correction to restrictions and updated information on non-restricted postcodes. Information is correct as of Thursday 2 July 2020. For the latest information, please refer to the Department of Health and Human Services website.
COVID-19 Community Support newsletters include updates for the Moreland Be Kind campaign, Council services and other services supporting the community. You will find in this edition #4:
- Public health advice how to keep safe and where to get tested (as of 2 July)
- Council service updates
- Be Kind Moreland service updates, including food relief support
- How to access support services - family violence, child safety, community health, NDIS and Human Rights Commission
- How to connect with local community service provider networks
Stage 3 COVID restrictions and testing in lockdown postcodes
The State Government has announced the return of Stage 3 Stay at Home restrictions for 10 postcodes in inner Melbourne, including the following Moreland areas:
3046 - Glenroy, Hadfield, Oak Park
3055 - Brunswick West
3060 - Fawkner
What does this mean for restricted postcodes?
If you live in one of these locations you must stay home.
There are only 4 reasons to leave home:
1. For work (if you can't work from home) or education
2. Medical care or care giving
3. Outdoor exercise
4. Shopping for food or other essentials
Additional restrictions:
- You cannot have visitors to your home (except for caregiving, compassionate reasons or receiving services)
- You can no longer visit friends and family who live at another household (except for caregiving or compassionate reasons or providing services).
COVID-19 testing
You are encouraged to get tested, even if you don't have symptoms. There are drive-through testing and mobile sites available. Updates about testing sites are shared through Council's facebook page or visit the Department of Health and Human Services website for up-to-date testing sites.
Businesses and facilities will be restricted again e.g. cafes and restaurants can only provide takeaway or delivery.
Victoria Police will enforce restrictions and issue on-the-spot fines if people are outside of their homes without a permitted reason.
What does this mean for Morelanders living in non-restricted postcodes?
- You can visit a restricted postcode for 4 reasons: shopping for food and supplies, care and caregiving, exercise, and study or work – if you can’t do it from home.
- Get tested if you have symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19), even if your symptoms are mild.
- Stay safe by washing your hands regularly, coughing and sneezing into your elbow, keeping at least 1.5 metres from others and staying home if you feel unwell.
Key Council COVID-19 service updates as of 2 July
The health and safety of our community is our priority and any decisions around services follow advice from the Department of Health and Human Services.
Open as usual:
- Counihan Gallery
- Family Day Care
- Maternal & Child Health breastfeeding support
- Kindergarten enrolments
- Waste services
Open with
restrictions or changes
check website below for details:
- Aged and Community Support
- Citizenship Ceremonies
- Customer Service Centre - Coburg only
- Gyms – Brunswick only
- Immunisation
- Librarires - Brunswick, Coburg only
- Maternal & Child Health consultations
- Pools – Brunswick only
- Oxygen Youth Space (appointments only)
- Some halls and venues available for hire
From Thursday 2 July until further notice: Glenroy library will be closed and returns chutes at Glenroy, Fawkner and Campbell Turnbull libraries will be closed.
Brunswick and Coburg Libraries are open to the general public. The hours for each location may change. Details are on the location and hours page and time restrictions have been introduced for library visitors to manage the limited capacity under social distancing requirements.
Be Kind Moreland updates
The Be Kind Moreland Campaign is Council’s response to providing essential community information during this challenging time, including for:
- Emergency support and relief services
- Emergency food relief
- Ways you can be kind to others
- How you can be kind to yourself
- Responding to racism and discrimination
- Government payments and support
- Resources for people with disability, their families and carers.
- Staying Safe at home - family violence resources available
Free Homemade Meals at Reynard Street Neighbourhood House
Open Table and Reynard Street Neighbourhood House have partnered to provide delicious and healthy frozen meals for everyone using rescued and surplus food. The menu changes each week.
Food is available for takeaway. Also limited dine-in places available - please book: Tuesday to Friday 10 am - 3pm.
Visit: 104A Reynard St, Coburg
Concerned about your or someone else’s safety at home?
Family violence help and support is available:
Call Triple Zero (000) for emergency assistance
Support for men who use violence and abuse:
Men’s Referral Service
phone 1300 766 491 (business hours).
Support for those who feel unsafe or may experience abuse:
Safe Steps 24/7 family violence response line (for women and their children)
phone 1800 015 188 or if it unsafe to call email safesteps@safesteps.org.au
Victims Assistance Program
phone 1300 362 739 (business hours) or
email VAPIntake@merrihealth.org.au
Keeping Children Safe – Always, Everywhere
The rapid changes to our lives due to COVID-19 have created additional challenges and threats for children and young people.
Under Victorian Child Safe Standards community organisations have particular obligations to protect children from abuse, harm and neglect, including a requirement to report all cases of suspected child abuse.
If you have immediate concerns about a child’s welfare you can contact Child Protection, North Division Intake, on phone 1300 664 977.
Help and support Updates
Support for people aged 50+: range of services available to support physical and emotional wellbeing.
Drop-in support now available
as over-the-phone support: call 1300 637 744 , Monday to Friday, 1pm to 3pm.
Victims Assistance Program: currently offered over-the-phone.
It helps people who have experienced
violence. To access, call 1300 362 739 or email vapintake@merrihealth.org.au.
Community wellbeing: the team
is still available to support community during this time:
- Call the team on 1300 637 744
- Call the Koorie Community Engagement Officer on 1300 647 744.
NDIS Coronavirus (COVID-19) information and support
The NDIS will move to a "post-pandemic phase" from 1 July and some temporary measures will be changed.
Service updates are available in 12 community languages.
Promoting Health and Wellness for people 65 and older
Merri Health Community Nursing supports older people living at home with health assessments, information, funding application support and referral to other services.
We prioritise adults from marginalised and/or disadvantaged communities and anyone living in public housing. Newly arrived refugees living in Moreland are able to access this service.
Reducing racism during COVID-19
The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission encourages community members to get in touch for free and confidential information about their rights, make a report or lodge a formal complaint if they have experienced racism in Victoria.
Details of this service are available in 10 community languages.
New ATO JobKeeper Information Kit translations
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has developed a new JobKeeper information kit to help employees understand the JobKeeper payment and it has been translated in to 16 community languages.
About this newsletter
This newsletter is developed by Council’s Community Development and Social Policy team for the period of the COVID-19 pandemic and is intended for service providers and community organisations that cover the City of Moreland.
Council values its partnerships with community organisation and groups now more than ever as community needs grow and change in response to the pandemic.
We’d love your feedback on this newsletter and any ideas of what you’d like to see e included. Please provide this to esampson@moreland.vic.gov.au.
Upcoming meetings of Moreland Service Provider Networks
- Fawkner Service Provider Network
Tue 30 June 9:30am – 11:00am
Wed 5th August 9:30am – 11:00am
Contact: Veronika
vpradel@moreland.vic.gov.au
- Glenroy Service Provider Network
Wed 29 July 10:00am -12:00 pm
Contact: Sophie
spatitsas@moreland.vic.gov.au
- Southern Service Provider Network
Thur 6 August 9 am - 10.30 am
Contact: Leanne on 9240 1206 or lgiardina@moreland.vic.gov.au
- Moreland Multicultural Settlement Network Meeting - Consultation on Social Cohesion Plan
Wed 8 July 9:30 - 11:00 am on Zoom
Contact: Petr on 9240 2467 or psvoboda@moreland.vic.gov.au
- Moreland Disability Service Network
Wed 5 August 10:00am – 11:30am
Contact: George
gparis@moreland.vic.gov.au
- Moreland Family Violence Network
Wed 26 Aug 9.30 am - 11 am
Contact: May mhaeder@moreland.vic.gov.au
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Phone: (03) 9240 1111
moreland.vic.gov.au
90 Bell Street, Coburg, VIC 3058