State Member for Northern Victoria Gaelle Broad and State Member for Ovens Valley Tim McCurdy are alarmed by the interim report into the inquiry into the 2022 flood event in Victoria.
The report investigated the lead-up, experience and aftermath of the floods across Victoria.
The flood event heavily impacted Northern Victoria, including Echuca, Rochester, Seymour, and Shepparton.
The report was released on Thursday, April 18, the same day as the Legislative Council regional sitting at Echuca Library.
In the report, it was found that applying for assistance, making claims and speaking to insurers are reminders for residents of the trauma caused by the floods.
Residents remained in temporary housing due to insurance problems, widespread damage to land and infrastructure, and due to broader housing issues in the region.
It also found that not enough assistance was provided in the lead-up, experience and aftermath of the floods. More support for the emotional and mental toll of the floods in particular was needed.
Discussions at the Echuca regional sitting centred on the devastation of the floods in the region and urged the Victorian Government to invest in preventative measures.
Northern Victoria MP and member of the committee investigating the inquiry, Gaelle Broad, was alarmed by the report’s findings.
“The committee received 880 submissions, and we held public hearings in Rochester, Echuca, Seymour and Mooroopna as well as Melbourne, but we know that the impacts of these floods were felt right across the state, across 63 local government areas,” she said.
“This year the premier signed a contract for the Suburban Rail Loop, a project that will cost Victorian taxpayers up to $200 billion, yet 18 months on from the floods residents in Rochester are still living in sheds and caravans.
“It is time Victoria looks to the example of states like Queensland and builds back better to ensure that we are better prepared for disasters in future.
“I want to see these priorities reflected in the coming state budget.”
Shadow Minister for Water Tim McCurdy echoed Ms Broad’s statements, stressing the importance of protecting regional areas from natural disasters.
“Regional communities continue to miss out on the funding required to upgrade local infrastructure, making vital improvements that could help prevent severe infrastructure damage and save lives in a future flood event,” he said.
The interim report contains 608 submissions from the Northern Victoria region, with more than half coming from Rochester and almost 60 from Echuca residents.
The committee will continue to hear from the community, with the final report from the Inquiry into the 2022 flood event in Victoria to be released by June 30, 2024.