‘Not able to commence’: Deputy premier Steven Miles says Bundaberg flood levee can’t start without federal contribution

During estimates meetings last week, Deputy Premier Steven Miles provided an update on where things are at with the Bundaberg East Flood Levee: Here’s what he had to say.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles said without a co-contribution from the federal government the Bundaberg East Flood Levee would not happen. (News Corp/Attila Csaszar)

Almost a year after it was announced, the Bundaberg East Flood Levee is still a hot topic for all three levels of government and the community.

Last week the $42.5m project, which was committed by the state government during the election campaign, was brought up during last week’s estimates meetings for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.

During the meeting last week Bundaberg MP Tom Smith asked Deputy Premier Steven Miles to update the committee on the progress of the Bundaberg East Flood Levee.

Dr Miles said he had lobbied the federal government to match the commitment so work on the levee could begin and said that without their “vital” co-contribution the project “will not be able to commence”.

He said the state government had also submitted an application in February for funding under the National Flood Mitigation Infrastructure Fund but were knocked back.

“Regardless of the Commonwealth’s current position, we will not stop advocating for the people of Bundaberg and the importance of the levee,” he said.

After the federal budget was released in April Hinkler MP Keith Pitt responded to criticism from the state and local government about the lack of funding allocated for the project.

Mr Pitt said the federal government had established a $50 million grant round to assist communities across the country to prepare for extreme weather events and flooding.

“Sadly, the Queensland State Labor Government only put forward one proposal for flood mitigation for Bundaberg, at a cost of $42.5 million from the $50 million funding program,” he said.

“It’s unrealistic to expect that one project would take up 85 per cent of the available funding. As announced... 22 projects have been funded under the National Flood Mitigation Infrastructure Program.

“The option the Queensland State Labor Government chose to apply for did not assist the 6000 people in North Bundaberg who would be trapped in the event of another flood.

“I’ve met with numerous constituents and listened broadly to the community. I believe the priority should be an evacuation route for the residents of North Bundaberg and I am actively looking to secure funding for this option.”

The controversial project also saw the creation of the Bundaberg Flood Protection Group, made up of locals concerned about the levee.

The group began a petition calling on the state government and the Bundaberg Regional Council to review and implement flood protection measures that will protect those most at risk of future flood events.

Dr Miles acknowledged last week there were concerns from some residents in Bundaberg North about the potential impacts the project would have, but assured modelling and hydrology analysis identified the levee would not make flooding worse.

“Of all of the flood mitigation options investigated, the levee will have the largest beneficial flood mitigation impact on the Bundaberg community as a whole,” he said.

“It is expected to reduce the risk and impact of flood events and mitigate flooding for over 600 buildings and increase flood protection, mitigate damage and protect the Bundaberg East area from a one-in-100-year flood event.”

In the meeting MP Ann Leahy asked the department’s director-general Damien Walker about the whereabouts of the $17 million for the levee that was in the previous budget.

Mr Walker said the funds were being held centrally with treasury.