Barmah community plan
Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (13:43): Last week I attended a meeting of the Barmah community group to discuss their plan for the town’s security and prosperity into the future. Barmah is a small but delightful town and the gateway to the Barmah National Park and forest. The community plan includes four platforms: (1) building the community, (2) growing the economy, (3) developing the town, and (4) protecting the natural environment and heritage. Goal (4) includes prioritising levees, flood defences and emergency response procedures, and it was this goal that was the focus of discussions at last week’s meeting. During the 2022 floods the Barmah township was cut off for weeks. The caravan park and many homes suffered significant damage, and it was only the work of locals that prevented the town being completely inundated. Residents do not want to see this happen again and want support for a levee to protect their town. The local community is committed to working with the Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and the Shire of Moira to prioritise the levee and flood protection portion of their plan, but the implementation will require state government support and funding. I was encouraged to see locals being proactive about securing and improving Barmah, and I will do whatever I can to help them get the support they need. The Victorian government must take their requests seriously and invest in flood defences in Barmah and other areas of northern Victoria.