This week marks six months since business owners donned their gumboots, scrambled for sandbags, hoped for the best and feared for the worst as water quickly rose around the north of Seymour.
A flood inquiry is now open to public submissions and with less than a month until the submission window closes, State Member for Euroa Annabelle Cleeland is pleading with anyone touched by the floods to share their experiences.
She said that while individuals may have moved on with their lives, it was important to band together as the impacts continued to be felt.
“My motivation is to make sure that Seymour is well represented in the flood inquiry … to highlight how badly our community was hit,” Ms Cleeland said.
“I’m fighting really hard to make sure we have one of the flood inquiry meetings in Seymour, so as people in our community can speak directly to the people that are hosting the flood inquiry.”
Community members’ evidence will be considered alongside submissions from experts like insurance specialists and hydrologists to form a complete picture of the event.
“Make submissions whether it’s your personal residence, a business or just a flow-on impact. All of those are really important,” Ms Cleeland said.
“That objective analysis of what happened, we don’t yet have that information, and that is why I am calling on members of the community to make a submission.”
The inquiry will explore the actual flood event, whether relevant bodies fulfilled their responsibilities, insurance fallout and future flood mitigation strategies.
Ms Cleeland hopes the inquiry will identify what actually happened during the floods.
“Who is responsible and have they played the role they were supposed to?” she asked.
“People are really still so angry that they weren’t warned in the days prior to the floods.
“There needs to be greater collaboration between Vic Emergency, Goulburn-Murray Water as well as the Bureau of Meteorology. Everyone was in their own lane.”
Insurance premiums and excesses will also be explored. Community members have reported exponential excess is deterring people from claiming insurance, even if they were covered.
“There are businesses that were considering expanding that are choosing not to now because of the liabilities of having a significant business without insurance, it’s just too risky,” Ms Cleeland said.
She also encourages anyone to submit their thoughts around future flood protection, including the flood levy.
“This has the ability to make sure our region is better protected against future flood events,” she said.
“I think if this inquiry is successful and Seymour is adequately represented, it will provide a path forward.
Submissions close on May 8.
To make a public submission, visit https://new.parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/inquiries/floodinquiry/submissions/