The Hon. Wendy Lovell, Member for Northern Victoria, Media Release, 9 May 2023
The Liberal Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell has sought details from the Andrews Labor Government regarding the management and maintenance of levee banks throughout Victoria, including in her electorate of Northern Victoria Region.
Speaking during the adjournment debate in State Parliament recently, Ms Lovell directed her adjournment matter to Minister for Water Harriet Shing, seeking clarity on which authority is responsible for levee banks and details of the Minister’s plan to ensure all levee banks are upgraded to cope with a future flood event.
Ms Lovell said that Victoria’s levee bank system is a major flood mitigation strategy that protects many communities, including both private properties, and importantly for the State Government, State-owned infrastructure assets, such as roads, hospitals, schools, public housing, and many other government-owned assets from the devasting impact of floods.
In her contribution, Ms Lovell said the one in 100-year flood event of October 2022 last year caused the condition of local levee banks to come under scrutiny, with properties in Bunbartha and Kaarimba inundated due to levee banks at Loch Garry blowing out.
Ms Lovell said that she was contacted by a local constituent who reported that during the floods he discovered four separate leaks in a levee bank close to his property, a situation that was completely unacceptable.
Ms Lovell said rather than place all of the onus for levee bank restoration on land holders, the Minister had an obligation to ensure levee banks were constantly maintained.
Comments attributable to Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell:
“The devastating October 2022 floods that impacted many areas of Northern Victoria raised questions as to the condition of levee banks that are so important in protecting communities.
“As a beneficiary of levee banks protection, the State Government should contribute to the restoration and maintenance of levee banks, and I call on the Minister to outline her plan to ensure that they are maintained to an acceptable standard.”
