‘Flip the funding model’: Industry groups say flood recovery not enough

Two major industry groups – overseeing Brisbane’s port and rivers, respectively – say both the Queensland and Australian governments must support successful flood mitigation projects and not concentrate on flood payments alone.

The call comes as the Australian government on Friday announced it was bringing forward $150 million – and possibly $300 million – in urgent flood recovery payments from its $4.8 billion Emergency Response Fund.

The Queensland and NSW governments will each receive $75 million for immediate disaster recovery, as well as much-needed funding for future disaster risk mitigation.

On Saturday, the Queensland government announced a $771 million overall package for flood recovery.

The Port of Brisbane Authority and Healthy Land Water both on Friday offered proof that multimillion-dollar trial flood mitigation projects upstream held back mud, silt and sediment in 2022, which again threatened to clog Brisbane’s drinking water supply and stopped petrol being transported to its port.

Looking downstream along Laidley Creek showing how well the 4km replanted farm bank on the left hand side compares with the heavily-eroded right hand bank whre tens of thousands of tonnes of sediment are still washed downstream. Credit: Healthy Land and Water and Port of Brisbane Authority

These are co-financed with local governments, not state or federal governments.

Port of Brisbane chief executive Neil Stephens said the $2.65 million it has invested in two flood mitigation projects since 2015 was money well spent.

Projects such as Mulgowie Farm in the Lockyer Valley were very successful in halting land and soil erosion that chokes the port and Moreton Bay.

The projects have stopped tonnes of sediment and silt being eroded and washed down stream into homes, the city, the port and Moreton Bay each year, Mr Stephens said.

“These projects have experienced multiple high-flow events in the last seven years and demonstrated resilience every time, providing clear proof that this approach works.

The heavily eroded right-hand bank of Laidley Creek where there has been no flood mitigation works.Credit: Port of Brisbane Authority and Healthy Land and Water

“By proactively managing land upstream, we can mitigate the impacts of severe events on the river catchment and on Moreton Bay.

“We would love to see local, state and federal governments prioritise this because it’s good for the environment and, at scale, could make a material impact on the damage mud and silt from the river can cause during flood events.”

He said the solutions to the problems revealed in the 2011 floods were demonstrated to work in 2022.

“Infrastructure charges on port developments that would usually result in stormwater management projects at the port itself, is instead redirected to erosion management projects further upstream,” he said.

“Managing this issue upstream – instead of at the river mouth where the port is located – has a far more material impact in managing stormwater and sediment runoff into the river and bay.”

Healthy, Land and Water chief executive officer Julie McLellan repeated her call to “flip the funding model” so governments paid for proactive flood mitigation instead of disaster payments alone.

“This project site is indicative with the many reports we have collected in our rapid post flood assessment showing areas where we have been worked, held up during the recent floods,” Ms McLellan said.

Hanlon Park at Stones Corner has been transformed into a reed-line wetlands to slow the flow of water.Credit: Tony Moore

“It shows that active and targeted investment in flood preparedness greatly increases resilience and will be instrumental in reducing the impact of future extreme events.

“And let’s be candid – more extreme events are on the cards as a result of climate change.”

In Brisbane, at Hanlon Park in Stones Corner Brisbane City Council have transformed Norman Creek from a fast-flowing spoon drain into slow-flowing sympathetically planted wetlands.

How the spoon drain looks further upstream where no work has been completed beside Annerley Football Club.Credit: Tony Moore

Some nearby residents said the work saved their homes from floods, while others further upstream at Annerley said they experienced first-time flooding.

Fiona Cameron, from Woolloongabba said the plantings at Hanlon Park slowed the water flow and stopped her home from flooding.

“My neighbours and I agree that this redevelopment of the park saved us, “Ms Cameron said.

“We are all amazed at how well the planting stood up,” she said.

Ms Cameron said she believed Hanlon Park was a good lesson for planners to revegetate, but not build over, water courses.

Fiona Cameron said the revegetation saved her home from flooding.Credit: Tony Moore

“Many locals who have lived in Woolloongabba for a long time have noticed there as more and more concrete goes up, the water levels have gone up as well,” she said.

However, about two kilometres upstream, at the Annerley Football Club, resident Tammy Economides said the floodwater flowed faster, covered a wider area and was deeper than previous floods.

“There was a current on the field, as opposed to just where the channel is,” Ms Economides said.

She said the stormwater at Annerley flooded regularly and attracted lots of young people to look at the floodwaters.

Further upstream at Annerley the stormwater was deeper and wider than previous floods.Credit: Annerley Football Club Facebook

“We’re assuming that because they have done it down there, they will come up here to slow it down,” she said.