That is un-Australian.
What will be next, Warrnambool because it’s in a wind zone, St Kilda because of sea levels rising, or just all of Queensland, because of cyclones?
Yet that’s what appears to be Rochester’s fate now.
Anyone who owns an asset in Rochester must be wondering what this will do to their investment.
This will drive down the willingness to build a business here and will encourage residents not to return.
Our community is stronger than that, we showed it in November and December of last year, so let’s show it again.
Let’s push the plan to mitigate the chances of flooding.
Let’s show this is a safe town in which to live, and a great community of which to be part.
We are not a political ball to be kicked around – this is fair, humane, and progressive thinking.
There is no way we can completely remove the risk of another event like the one last year, but we can significantly reduce the chances.
Governments permitted us to build homes, operate businesses, attend schools, and operate hospitals in this area, they cannot turn their back on us.
People have lived in this location, safely, for 180 years.
Things are changing, the climate is changing, so we need to change the way we manage the risks we are going to face.
We had ample warning of the impending flood threat.
Sandbags were filled, the elderly were evacuated.
The community took the advice to prepare seriously.
And then 92,000 megalitres flowed over Campaspe weir on October 14 (GMW estimate).
Of which 28,000 broke the banks in the 4km below the weir, threatening the west from an unanticipated direction, and the east, much more predictably, following previous flood courses, just much higher than anticipated.
Mathematically 100,000 megalitres of space in Eppalock would have been sufficient to avert the threat and keep the river below major flood levels throughout September and October.
If water had been released at a flow rate of 20,000 megalitres a day for the five days before the rain event 100,000 megalitres of air space could have been created in the dam to reduce the size of the flood event.
Yes, we would have still seen minor, to moderate, flood levels – but certainly not the major inundation within the town.
The rain was forecast and imminent, and yes, precautions could have been taken – if there was a spill mechanism in Eppalock.
Similar to other being carried out other major dams across the Murray Darling catchment at this time.
Sufficient water has flowed into Eppalock since the flood event to replenish irrigation water, ensuring farmers would not be negatively impacted by the megalitres dumped as part of the preventative strategy.
A release mechanism can be built for Eppalock.
This flood management would have benefits for property owners all along the Campaspe, including farmers, rural households, and Echuca residents.
And this is not just about Rochester.
The environmental damage caused by a longer, controlled release would be far less than that from the fast, major flood we experienced.
Eppalock was built for two reasons – flood mitigation and irrigation.
We need to address both.
And we need to do it now.
Stuart Murray,
Rochester Flood Mitigation Group.
Financial pressure
The numbers are in, with reports Victorians will now be slapped with annual energy bills of up to $4000, mounting more stress on families in the midst of a cost of living crisis.
This is nothing groundbreaking, many have been experiencing this increasing financial pressure for months.
Despite struggling now, Victorians are being told to wait in the hope some assistance may be made available when state and federal budgets are announced in the middle of the year.
One-off payments to Victorians will offer some relief for household bills, but it just a band-aid solution, buying time between bill cycles as costs continue to skyrocket.
Victorians are being strung along by a Labor party that is more focused on spin than substance, touting the return of the SEC and a hurried transition to renewable energy that threatens the reliability of our grid while crushing Victorians’ household budgets.
Families need financial relief through policies that will drive down and keep down energy bills, not handouts to cover up poor policy decisions.
Peter Walsh,
Leader of The Nationals
Member for Murray Plains
25°C