Victorian Greens to probe devastating Maribyrnong floods

The Victorian Greens will seek a parliamentary inquiry into the approval of a flood wall around Flemington Racecourse and its impact on the Maribyrnong floods.

The Victorian Greens will attempt to launch a parliamentary inquiry into last year’s devastating Maribyrnong River floods.

The proposed inquiry, to be undertaken by the Legislative Council’s Environment and Planning Committee, would scrutinise the decision to approve a controversial flood wall around Flemington Racecourse, and whether that exacerbated floodwaters and the damage to properties around Maribyrnong in October last year.

It will probe whether vested interests influenced that decision and whether the impacts of climate change were considered before the wall’s approval in 2007.

Victorian Greens deputy leader Ellen Sandell says the inquiry will shine an ‘overdue light on Labor’s cosy relationship with the racing and gambling industry’. Picture: AAP

It would also seek to look at whether the SES has sufficient resources to deal with extreme weather events, whether early warning systems for local residents were adequate, and whether flood walls should be able to remain.

Melbourne Water is undertaking its own review of last year’s floods, but has come under fire by critics who claim its terms of reference are too narrow in scope and exclude policy responses and planning matters.

Victorian Greens deputy leader Ellen Sandell said the parliamentary inquiry would shine an “overdue light on Labor’s cosy relationship with the racing and gambling industry”, as well as the state’s “broken” planning system and whether the government needs to do more to protect the community from climate change.

A proposed inquiry would scrutinise the approval of a controversial flood wall around Flemington Racecourse and whether that exacerbated the Maribyrnong River floods. Picture: David Caird

Ms Sandell said Melbourne Water’s limited review was convenient for the Andrews government who she claimed wanted to avoid blame or criticism.

“The flood wall around the dry racecourse, while homes went under water, demonstrates very clearly who the government is willing to protect and who gets left behind when it comes to climate change,” she said.

“This kind of thing can’t be allowed to continue, and the community are rightly outraged that the Labor government seems to want to sweep this under the carpet.

“I’m worried the Labor government is using this limited inquiry to deflect blame, and avoid any discussion of what governments have done wrong or should do better.

“With disasters like floods becoming more common with climate change, the community deserves a proper inquiry into how we can protect lives, livelihoods and homes during climate disasters, rather than just protecting vested interests.”