Stephen Bennett questions $66m shortfall in Bundaberg flood levee

Burnett LNP MP Stephen Bennett has raised concerns over the financial management of the Bundaberg East Flood Levee project, highlighting a multimillion-dollar discrepancy in unallocated funds.

The concept design for the Bundaberg East Levee consists of about 1.7km of levee near the Burnett River’s southern bank with flood gates, flood doors and pump stations. It is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments and is supported by the Bundaberg Regional Council.

Burnett LNP MP Stephen Bennett has raised concerns over the financial management of the Bundaberg East Flood Levee project, highlighting an alleged $66million discrepancy in unallocated funds.

The concept design for the Bundaberg East Levee consists of about 1.7km of levee near the Burnett River’s southern bank with flood gates, flood doors and pump stations. It is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments and is supported by the Bundaberg Regional Council.

“My job is to hold the government to account and ensure every taxpayer dollar is spent appropriately,” Mr Bennett said in a statement on his concerns.

The concept design for the Bundaberg East Levee consists of about 1.7km of levee near the Burnett River’s southern bank with flood gates, flood doors and pump stations. It is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments and is supported by the Bundaberg Regional Council.

“The re-released CDM Smith report tabled a direct cost estimate of $108 million for the construction of the Bundaberg East Flood Levee.

“The state government has allocated $174.7 million for the project. That means there’s $66 million dollars of unallocated funds. This is hard-earned taxpayers’ money and our community deserves to know how it’s being spent.”

A state government media release confirmed the joint funding of $174.7 million for the 1.7km concrete levee, which will protect parts of Bundaberg East, Bundaberg South, and the city CBD from flooding.

The government outlined the project’s scope, which includes constructing the levee, floodgates, flood doors, and pump stations across Saltwater Creek and Distillery Creek.

The concept design for the Bundaberg East Levee consists of about 1.7km of levee near the Burnett River’s southern bank with flood gates, flood doors and pump stations. It is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments and is supported by the Bundaberg Regional Council.

This project, part of the 10-year Bundaberg Action Plan, was developed with community consultation in 2018 to mitigate future flood damage.

The Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning, and Public Works reiterated that the project’s budget, announced in 2023, remained unchanged.

It emphasised adherence to the Queensland Procurement Policy 2023, which ensured value for money and accountability in all projects.

The $108 million direct cost estimate references a March 2019 Bundaberg East Levee Concept Engineering Report.

Since 2019, the construction market has experienced significant cost escalation due to factors, it said.

Bundaberg Labor MP Tom Smith attributed the rising cost to a wait time, noting there was a delay in the project because of a lack of support from the Federal LNP who went against Departmental advice.