On 22 February 2023, the Legislative Council agreed to the following motion:
That this House requires the Environment and Planning Committee to inquire into, consider and report, by 30 June 2024, on the state’s preparedness for and response to Victoria’s major flooding event of October 2022 (the Flood Event), including but not limited to the —
(1) causes of and contributors to the Flood Event;
(2) adequacy and effectiveness of early warning systems;
(3) resourcing of the State Emergency Service, the adequacy of its response to the Flood Event and the adequacy of its resourcing to deal with increasing floods and natural disasters in the future;
(4) implementation and effectiveness of the 2016 Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy in relation to the Flood Event;
(5) location, funding, maintenance and effectiveness of engineered structures, such as floodwalls, rural levees and culverts, as a flood mitigation strategy;
(6) Flood Event as a whole, including but not limited to, the catchments and floodplains of the —
(a) Avoca River;
(b) Barwon River;
(c) Broken River;
(d) Campaspe River;
(e) Goulburn River;
(f) Loddon River;
(g) Maribyrnong River;
(h) Murray River;
(7) the 2007 decision of the Minister for Planning to approve the construction of a flood wall around Flemington Racecourse and whether the growing impacts of climate change were considered;
(8) the implications for future planning decisions including —
(a) how the Victorian planning framework can ensure climate mitigation is a consideration in future planning decisions;
(b) how corporate interests may influence decision‐making at the expense of communities and climate change preparedness; and
(9) any other related matters.
![](/4a26f1/globalassets/sections-shared/get-involved/inquiries/committees/lc-committees/lc-epc/campaspe-cuts-road.jpeg?width=800&height=600&mode=crop)
Report presented to Parliament
The 2022 flood event impacted 81% of local government areas across Victoria, particularly in Northern Victoria and the Maribyrnong river catchment area. The Committee’s final report has concluded there needs to be a more integrated, community centred and accessible approach to emergency management, from planning through to recovery.
Tabled in the Legislative Council on 30 July 2024, the report makes 90 findings and 73 recommendations, including improvements to flood governance arrangements and boosting resources for emergency services responding to events such as floods. The report also makes recommendations to improve flood mitigation, such as a pilot ring levee program, raising or retrofitting homes and improving flood modelling.
Go to the report to read the findings and recommendations. There is also a summary booklet available.
![](/497b5d/contentassets/ada75d6f502d4a308a90ac4420a874e1/20230614_152722.jpg?width=800&height=600&mode=crop)
Snapshot of inquiry
The Environment and Planning Committee investigated the 2022 flood event in Victoria. The Inquiry examined the state's preparedness for, and response, to the 2022 flood event. It is also considered how to improve our approach to future extreme weather events. This included talking to the communities affected, reviewing emergency services, and government and non-government agencies and approaches.
880 submissions were received from a range of stakeholders including organisations and community members directly impacted by the floods, experts and government representatives.
The Committee held thirteen days of public hearings, and a number of submission workshops and open mic sessions, both at Parliament and in flood-affected areas across the state, to understand the experience of stakeholders during and after the floods.
The report was presented to the Legislative Council on 30 July 2024.
Latest videos
View all videosMedia releases
Final report into October 2022 flood event
Media Release | 30 July
Melbourne Water recalled to flood inquiry hearings
Media Release | 7 May
Interim report on 2022 flood in northern Victoria
Media Release | 18 April
Flood inquiry to hear from Government Ministers
Media Release | 5 December 2023
Flood inquiry hearings resume Monday
Media Release | 17 November 2023
Flood inquiry to hear from water chiefs
Media Release | 23 October 2023
Flood inquiry to hold open mic next week
Media Release | 10 October 2023
Flood inquiry hearings continue this week
Media Release | 9 October 2023
Shepparton and Seymour host flood inquiry hearings
Media Release | 11 September 2023
Flood inquiry public hearings start in state s north
Media Release | 18 August 2023
Flood inquiry open mic registrations for Rochester
Media Release | 14 August 2023
Floods inquiry probes readiness and responses
Media Release | 6 March 2023