Wednesday, 19 February 2025

Environment and Planning Committee

Inquiry into the 2022 Flood Event in Victoria

Ryan BATCHELOR (Southern Metropolitan) (17:15): I rise today to make a statement on the government’s response to the Environment and Planning Committee’s inquiry into the 2022 flooding event, which was tabled in the last sitting week. As chair of the Environment and Planning Committee for part of its inquiry into the 2022 flood event in Victoria, I welcome the government’s response to the report. The final report of the committee, which I think was a constructive cross-partisan inquiry, made 90 findings and 73 recommendations. I am pleased the government has supported, either in full or in principle, 59 of those, while it supports in part a further six, and six recommendations are still under review. The final report that the committee tabled was the result of more than 900 public submissions. There were 12 days of public hearings across Victoria, including in many of the flood-affected communities. The committee heard many stories of devastation, of loss and of tragedy from communities who are seeking a way forward.

The government, as is articulated in its response, has not waited for the final report to take action but since the end of the flood event has been working hard to deliver for these communities. Therefore some of the recommendations contained in the committee’s final report call for action that the government in fact has already been undertaking. Some of the key recommendations within the report were that the government adequately fund and support the Victorian State Emergency Service and the Country Fire Authority, whose volunteers, as the committee’s report noted, undertook a brave and invaluable response within the community at the time of the October 2022 floods, saving much of the community. In December last year the Victorian government announced a commitment of more than $250 million to support VICSES and CFA volunteers throughout this state. At our hearings, some of the key accounts from witnesses voiced concerns over some of the equipment that was being used by units; $70 million of the funding announced in December last year will be put towards establishing a rolling fleet replacement program for VICSES and the CFA. New and upgraded trucks, tankers and pumpers will be all part of that program. Further, the budget for the Victorian emergency services equipment program will be more than doubled, with more than $62 million in initial funding being provided over the next four years.

Recommendation 49 in the committee report highlighted a need to increase funding for the training of volunteers to boost VICSES units. Within that December 2024 package announced by the government, around $30 million has been allocated to deliver training and support to upskill volunteers. The government has also committed $53 million towards a modernised VicEmergency app and a central database for our emergency services. This relates particularly to recommendation 44, that the Victorian government improve the accuracy, timeliness and relevance of the VicEmergency app service during an emergency so that it can meet the diverse needs of different communities during a crisis, and recommendation 46, that the Victorian government ensure that the emergency management warning system is inclusive and able to be used by all Victorians. It is very heartening that those recommendations are being taken so seriously by the government.

Some other recommendations made by the committee, including recommendations 14 and 16, advocated for increased protections for vulnerable people during flood disasters, including that people with disability are featured in all disaster preparedness and response plans. In May 2024 the government released the Victorian emergency management planning toolkit for people most at risk. This was co-designed with a range of stakeholders and emergency management experts. The toolkit aims to support Victoria’s emergency management planning to be more dynamic and situation based, with a focus on those most at risk.

There were some calls for some legislation amendments, including recommendation 18, which stipulated for the introduction of amendments to the Planning and Environment Act 1987 so that planning and other authorities must address climate change at all levels of the planning process. The recommendation was supported in full, and the government has wasted no time in making the necessary legislative amendments. The Climate Change and Energy Legislation Amendment (Renewable Energy and Storage Targets) Act 2024 made two significant changes to support the greater consideration of climate change in the planning system.

The committee made particular note through recommendation 7 that the government ensures that regional catchment management authorities and local councils are funded and resourced to conduct and implement up-to-date flood studies. Following the event, the Victorian government has funded four CMAs to coordinate management arrangements for levees.

There is a lot that has happened as a result of the October 2022 floods. The report itself of the committee, with great work by all committee members, was very comprehensive and the government’s response just as so.