Allan government rejects two recommendations in flood inquiry response

More than two years on from the devastating 2022 flood events, the government says it won’t introduce a taxpayer-funded program to protect homes in flood-prone areas.

Victoria will fast-track flood studies and carry out regular flood modelling reviews, but the state government will not create a fund to retrofit at-risk homes, according to the long-awaited response to the inquiry into the 2022 flood events.

The Victorian government released its response to the inquiry on Tuesday, accepting more than more than 60 recommendations in full, in part, or in principle.

However, it has rejected two recommendations, including creating a statewide resilient homes program that would have seen taxpayers foot the bill for incentives for people to protect homes in flood-prone areas.

Among the recommendations accepted by the Allan government, they will make changes to ensure the appropriate authorities review and update flood modelling every five to 10 years.

The government released its flood inquiry response on Tuesday. Picture: Jason Edwards

This data will be available to councils and disaster agencies to help mitigate, better plan and respond to future events.

The government will also amend planning laws to ensure that climate change factors are considered when making planning decisions in the future.

The state will also look at transferring ownership of flood water gauges to the Bureau of Meteorology to help identify risks earlier and invest $53 million into the VicEmergency App to make it more user-friendly for more Victorians, including alerts in different languages and will better find services like Vic SES to help respond to flooding events in the future.

This will also include new plans to send out sand bags more efficiently to areas in need during high-risk events.

The government will make changes to ensure the appropriate authorities review and update flood modelling every five to 10 years. Picture: David Caird

The government was responding to 73 recommendations, including fast-tracking flood studies, limiting development in flood-prone areas, and improving the state’s warning system, which were handed down as part of a state parliamentary committee inquiry into the 2022 floods.

Victoria’s upper house voted to launch the inquiry in 2023 after the floods devastated regional communities and more than 500 homes were inundated in Melbourne.

Many of the recommendations will cost millions of dollars, but some have already been enacted, like the government better funding disaster agencies, which they announced will happen in the future and will be funded by overhauling the state fire levy with a new disaster levy on homeowners.

The government response acknowledged the cost of change but highlighted it was for the betterment of all Victorians.

The inquiry was launched after the floods devastated regional communities and inundated hundreds of homes in Melbourne. Picture: David Caird

“The recommendations from the Final Report are reflective of issues that are well-known to the Victorian Government. In many cases, they reflect issues that are relevant to all communities and all emergencies.

“As a result, a substantial portion of the Final Report’s recommendations have activities underway to address key and underlying issues.

“The Final Report provides certainty to the Victorian Government that its attention and investment are focused in the right direction.”

The inquiry also examined the establishment of the controversial flood wall around Flemington Racecourse.

The government has accepted some recommendations in relation to the independent inquiry into the flood wall, but will not move to make changes to the current structure.

Originally published as Allan government rejects two recommendations in flood inquiry response