Bundaberg East Flood Levee might not proceed

The state government has declared it will ‘work with’ the Bundaberg council, ‘not against it’ to help protect it against floods, a carefully worded response that stops short of confirming the Bundaberg East Flood Levee was still going ahead. Vote in the poll:

The Bundaberg East flood levee does not have the support of Mayor Helen Blackburn.

The fate of thousands of Bundaberg residents vulnerable to flooding appears up in the air as state and local government step back from their initial plan to spend almost $180 million on a Bundaberg East Flood Levee.

With a new state government, and a new Bundaberg Mayor who has publicly withdrawn her support for the levee and vowed to not fund its maintenance, the years of debate and planning that led to the decision to build it may have been in vain.

In June 2023, it was announced the federal and state government had agreed to help build a 1.7km concrete levee running parallel to the southern bank of the Burnett River, offering protection from flooding to parts of Bundaberg East, Bundaberg South and the CBD.

Image of the proposed Bundaberg flood levee.

The levee was deemed the most beneficial of four options identified under the 10-year Bundaberg Action Plan as able to help reduce the risk of flood devastation like that experienced in 2022 and in 2013, where houses were washed away, 4000 homes flooded, and thousands of residents evacuated.

It was revealed this week that a submission opposing the levee was sent to the state minister by a senior Bundaberg staffer on November 4, 2024, the same day Mayor Helen Blackburn revealed she did not support it.

Council development officer Michael Ellery said in the letter to Deputy Premier and new Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie the council objected “to the proposed ministerial infrastructure designation for the Bundaberg East Flood Levee”.

Michael Ellery sent the submission to the state government.

 
He cited “grave concerns about the financial burden that the ongoing maintenance and depreciation of the levee will place on the council and Bundaberg community”.

“Other more cost-effective solutions exist,” the letter said.

When asked about the letter and who authorised it this week, Ms Blackburn declined to comment.

Mr Ellery is on leave, but was contacted for response.

Ms Blackburn emphasised in November the council’s position on the levee had been made clear and her disapproval was simply her opinion.

An artist’s impression of the proposed Bundaberg flood levee.

Bundaberg council CEO Rob Williams appeared to distance the council from the document, saying on November 4, “every elected member was entitled to have, and express, a personal opinion or view”.
He reiterated that the council had accepted ownership of the levee, provided the state government covered its ongoing maintenance and operation costs.

When asked about Ms Blackburn’s withdrawal of support and her alternative proposal for a North Bundaberg evacuation route, the council communications team responded with a brief statement from “a council spokeswoman”:

“Council has issued a statement in regards to the flood levee and there is no further comment.”

Housing and Public Works Minister Sam O’Connor criticised the project as a “delayed blowout” last week.

He said he would “work with council, not against it, to deliver critical flood resilience for (the Bundaberg) community”.
When asked if that meant the LNP was planning to fund the maintenance costs, he did not further comment.
Meanwhile Bundaberg MP, Tom Smith said Mr O’Connor was speaking like a true ‘junior minister’.

Originally published as Bundaberg East Flood Levee might not proceed