Residents of a Victorian town that experienced a spike in deaths after a coal mine fire two years ago want the government to do more to help them.
People are still struggling with their health two years after the Hazelwood mine fire, according to a report on the health of Latrobe Valley residents, released on Wednesday.
The coal mine fire, which began in February 2014, burnt for 45 days and blanketed the town of Morwell and surrounding areas with smoke and ash.
The re-opened mine fire inquiry in December found there was an unexpected spike in deaths in early 2014, with poor air quality caused by the fire a major contributor.
In Wednesday's report, the Board of Inquiry made 12 recommendations it believes should be a priority for the state government.
These include funding and improving care for people with chronic diseases, especially those with related mental health conditions.
The state should also prevent any further exposure to potentially toxic ash by testing ash residue found in Morwell roof cavities and making those results public.
Authorities should also remove potentially hazardous ash from affected houses, it said.
The report also called on mine and power station operators to reduce emissions and recommended a transition plan in preparation for when coal mine activity decreases.
Residents and community groups have welcomed the findings but say the government is still not doing enough to protect their health.
"The recommendation for analysis of ash did not go far enough," Voices of the Valley president Wendy Farmer said in a statement.
"The people have a right to know what is in their air, so they can make informed decisions about their health."
Environmental Justice Australia thinks air quality monitoring should be a bigger priority for the government.
"Air pollution monitoring in the Latrobe Valley is woefully inadequate compared to other industrial regions in Australia," spokesman Phil Hill said.
He says the smaller Queensland mining town of Gladstone has seven air pollution monitoring sites, compared to between one and three stations in the Latrobe Valley.
The state government has written to the federal government to request more health funding.
