Tuesday, 15 October 2024

Flood mitigation

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (12:47): (684) My question is to the Minister for Water. Minister, over 900 households in Kensington Banks who had their homes reclassified as being in the flood zone are still waiting for any word from government on what they will do to support these residents and whether the government are going to prioritise any flood mitigation in this area and in the Maribyrnong catchment. Minister, does the government plan to fund and fast-track flood mitigation in this area?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:47): Thank you, Ms Copsey, for that question. It is an issue that has caused so much grief and so much anxiety and uncertainty for residents that were affected by the flooding in October 2022. This is something which I know has occupied a lot of time, energy and effort, not just from government but from local elected representatives, who have taken a really keen interest in understanding what supports have been made available, the work of water corporations and the partnerships with local councils.

I want to assure you and other members of this place and the Parliament more broadly, who have worked so hard to partner with all levels of government and to discuss these matters with communities, that the work on updated flood modelling and studies is something which Melbourne Water continues to work on, as was indicated following the Pagone review. This was outlined in the recent parliamentary inquiry into the floods. There was extensive discussion about the importance of accurate flood modelling, and the last lot of modelling did not require – or did not actually deploy – the number of data points that have now informed the updated modelling. Between now and 2026 Melbourne Water will undertake that modelling right across the catchment, with a review every five years of that modelling and a redoing of that modelling every 10.

There will be changes as a result of that modelling when we look at the combination of that with the impact of climate change, of coastal erosion and of the very fact of the residency and population that lives and works in and around those flood-prone areas. We are working to provide that assistance and to make sure that Melbourne Water, in seeking that global tender for resourcing, understands what impact and mitigation look like, acts with a sense of urgency but also does not cut any corners in the process. The parliamentary inquiry had referred to a number of supports that might be able to be made and accommodated, and government is considering that report and the recommendations that were contained in it. I will look forward to continuing to update you and to update other members of the house as this work continues. We will be in a position to better understand what the impact of that modelling looks like, what the options are and what community licence looks like for the purpose of pursuing options and taking next steps from there.

But again I also want to assure you and to assure others that I am continuing to work alongside insurance peak bodies, local councils, water corporations and communities, because this is an issue that we do need to attack in a very coordinated and disciplined way to make sure that the very impact that is being felt by communities is able to be addressed in a way that is going to make a meaningful difference to them, including as our population grows, and to make sure that as we build and develop infrastructure in and around those flood-prone areas, as we understand what the impact looks like, we can take those steps to mitigate that risk in a way that is place based and a way that accommodates the nature of risk as it changes over time for the reasons that I have just outlined.

Katherine COPSEY (Southern Metropolitan) (12:50): I thank the minister for the answer. Residents are obviously keen to see progress in this area. Minister, when the residents bought their homes, they were given explicit advice from government agencies that their homes were above the one-in-100-year flood level, then overnight they were told that this advice was wrong and now their homes are at risk. Also they are worth a lot less than they thought previously. It would be deeply unfair to make these residents wait years for government decisions on mitigation works. I ask: has the state government approached the federal government to ask them for help to fund urgent mitigation works for the Maribyrnong catchment?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:51): Thank you very much, Ms Copsey, for that supplementary. Again I want to assure you that we are working across every level of government to understand what those different interfaces are, whether it is council and drainage issues or whether it is the Commonwealth government and natural disaster and risk-mitigation options. This is not just confined to the Maribyrnong catchment, it is in fact statewide. If we look at what has just happened with the Commonwealth inquiry into the insurance response across flooding in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, of course that will also inform the way in which the Commonwealth can and indeed may well wish to invest in funding and solutions to provide that natural disaster response and relief. I will continue to work with colleagues across all jurisdictions. I will continue to advocate for funding and for the sort of early warning and information –

Katherine Copsey: On a point of order, President – apologies, but just with the short time on the clock – I appreciate the context, but I would ask you to draw the minister back to my question, which was: have you approached the government?

The PRESIDENT: I think at the outset of her answer the minister said she is working with all levels of government.

Katherine Copsey: I heard ‘council’.

Harriet SHING: No, no, I said the Commonwealth as well. Just to be really clear, with the time I have left, as I think I indicated, we are working really closely with the Commonwealth. I will not stop advocating to the Commonwealth. On top of the $37 million that we have got into FloodZoom there are other responses that are being funded by the Victorian government. I am looking forward to continuing to provide you with those updates.