Keith Pitt and Tom Smith blow over Bundaberg East Flood Levee

Claims an eleventh hour phone call from Hinkler MP Keith Pitt blocked the Federal Government from proceeding with flood levee funding for Bundaberg have led to an extraordinary war of words.

Claims a flood levee build at Bundaberg would be underway by now but for the intervention of Keith Pitt have caused a war of words.

Hinkler MP Keith Pitt responded on Thursday to comments made in Queensland Parliament the day before by Bundaberg’s State MP Tom Smith about the Bundaberg East Flood Levee.

Under parliamentary privilege, Mr Smith described the federal member as working “against the Bundaberg community” and claimed he had spoken to then Federal Water Minister David Littleproud who told him it was Mr Pitt who blocked funding for the levee.

“Last year I met with Minister David Littleproud and he said to me that when the Federal Government was about to pass their budget that he was about to sign off for the funding on the Bundaberg East Flood Levee,” Mr Smith told parliament.

“He said that the document was on the table.

“He was ready to sign it until he received a call from the Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt who berated him on the phone and personally intervened to stop funding for the number one priority in Queensland.

“A cabinet minister calling up and bullying another cabinet minister to stop flood mitigation in Bundaberg.

“This is a disgrace, and it is a shame.”

According to the State Government, the Bundaberg East Flood Levee would protect over 600 properties.

With $42.5 million already on the table from the State Government, they’ve been calling on the Federal Government to match the commitment.

Mr Smith said in parliament recent flooding events in Queensland had proved the importance of flood mitigation for the Bundaberg community.

“There is one elected official in the Bundaberg region that does not support the state’s number one flood mitigation project and that is the Federal Member for Hinkler,” Mr Smith told parliament.

“Every single councillor in the Bundaberg Regional Council supports the Bundaberg East Flood Levee regardless of the division that they represent.”

Mr Pitt said his position on the levee was already well known by the people of Bundaberg.

“This is clearly a cheap attempt by the Member for Bundaberg to use parliamentary privilege to try and distract from the integrity crisis engulfing the Queensland Labor Government,” Mr Pitt said.

“My position on the levee is well known by the people of Bundaberg and has been consistent.”

Minister David Littleproud said Mr Smith’s claims were false.

“It is deeply disappointing that the State Member for Bundaberg has used parliamentary privilege to make false assertions about the Bundaberg levee.

“I have only ever met Tom Smith once and that was in a social setting at a football game in Brisbane and only conversed with him in the presence of other invited guests.

“The only discussion of any substance I had with him was on football.”

Mr Smith explained flooding should be stopped in Bundaberg wherever possible.

“Where we can build evacuation routes and evacuation centres for residents in Bundaberg we should build evacuation routes and evacuation centres regardless of whether they are to the North, South, East or West of our great community,” Mr Smith said in parliament.

Mr Pitt said the proposal was not backed by the Bundaberg community.

“The proposal does not have community support and the State Government is yet to provide a detailed plan,” Mr Pitt said.

“Nothing is preventing Queensland Labor from funding the levee.

“The Member for Bundaberg has finally commented on building evacuation routes, so why hasn’t he lobbied his own government for funding for an evacuation route for the people of North Bundaberg?

“I won’t be commenting on meetings or conversations that may or may not have taken place at which I was not present.”