The release of a parliamentary report into the October 2022 flood events has exposed the Allan Labor Government’s extreme failure in planning, preparing for, and responding to extreme weather events.
The Legislative Council’s Environment and Planning Committee this week tabled their long-awaited report into the devastating floods, which included 73 recommendations to be adopted.
“Confusing, complicated and time-consuming” were the stinging words used to describe Victoria’s approach to planning and flood recovery, with Labor’s lacklustre attitude impacting residents right across the region.
The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, said the release of the report made it more relevant than ever to address flood mitigation measures in towns like Seymour.
“The report expresses several recommendations in areas such as flood mitigation, emergency warning systems, and how families can more easily access support following floods,” Ms Cleeland said.
“We cannot see flood events like this occur again without mitigation measures in place and serious reform to the system, and this means revisiting conversations about a flood levee in Seymour.
“While a flood levee has been controversial in the past, we need a genuine and factual community conversation about this.
“Seymour won’t have a future without some sort of mitigation infrastructure.”
Shadow Minister for Water, Tim McCurdy, said he was dissatisfied with the Government’s failure to listen to Seymour residents over the years.
“The residents of Seymour have been asking for help for years to plan for a major flood, and look at preventative measures,” Mr McCurdy said.
“Unfortunately, the Victorian Government has failed to listen to these concerns, failed to prepare and plan, and locals are still paying the price.
“Where was Labor before, during, and after the flood? Sitting back and letting others pick up the pieces of their own incompetence.”
Among the 73 recommendations listed, the report highlighted the need to:
- Help communities be better prepared to manage a crisis;
- Better manage and maintain flood mitigation including levees, dams and culverts;
- Improve early warning systems;
- Stop building inappropriate developments in flood plains; and
- Ensure that infrastructure is built back better.
The report was formally tabled in Parliament on July 30.
The Government has six months to respond.
The report is available on the Parliament’s website Reports (parliament.vic.gov.au)
