No progress for Riverland levee management

A year ago, our state experienced the third-highest flood ever recorded in South Australia with the River Murray rising to levels not seen since 1956. An unprecedented number of homes, shacks, businesses and infrastructure were affected in the Riverland and Murraylands. It is critical that we learn from this flood to make sure we are better protected next time around which is why the Opposition successfully established a Parliamentary inquiry into the disaster.

Alarmingly, this inquiry has discovered that despite being 12 months on, not even preliminary works for a levee management plan have started. Our state’s levee system is critical, and we need to manage this infrastructure so that we are better prepared for flood events in the future. Peter Malinauskas was happy to fly in and out for photo opportunities during the flood disaster, but as usual when there’s hard work needed, he’s nowhere to be seen.

I was in the Riverland last month meeting with some of those affected, and I’m thankful to local MPs Tim Whetstone, Member for Chaffey, Adrian Pederick MP and Nicola Centofanti MLC who continue to represent their communities and advocate for action.