A controversial decision to erect a flood wall around Flemington racecourse is set to be a key focus of a Victorian inquiry into October’s devastating floods as the Greens and the Coalition unite to establish an investigation.
The opposition will on Wednesday move a motion in the upper house to investigate how prepared Victoria was for last year’s flooding crisis, with the support of the Greens. Four other crossbenchers say they will also back the move.
It follows concerns about the perceived conflict of interest over an inquiry by the government-owned authority Melbourne Water into the Maribyrnong flooding, which affected more than 500 homes.
The opposition’s leader in the upper house, Georgie Crozier, said she hoped the Andrews government would support the motion to investigate the “recent and devastating floods that impacted so much of Victoria”.
The Greens’ deputy leader, Ellen Sandell, said the parliamentary inquiry would be wide-ranging and will consider why the Flemington racecourse flood wall was built and how future climate disasters could be mitigated.
“After constructive negotiations by the Greens, the community will now get the flood investigation they’ve been asking for,” she said.
“The Victorian Labor government has tried to sweep important questions about the flood under the carpet, but they can’t keep avoiding criticism or deflecting blame.”
Sandell said the unusual decision for the Greens and the Coalition to join forces demonstrates the party was “happy to work across the aisle with all parties to ensure we had a proper inquiry”.
“People expect our parliament to work collaboratively to get real outcomes for people, which is what we have done,” she said.
The parties will require the support of three crossbenchers to pass the motion.
Liberal Democrat David Limbrick, Legalise Cannabis’s Rachel Payne and David Ettershank, and the Animal Justice party’s Georgie Purcell said on Tuesday they would support the motion.
During the floods, residents raised questions about whether a wall around Flemington racecourse – approved in 2004 by the former Labor government – exacerbated the disaster. Public submissions to the Melbourne Water inquiry opened in January, but that investigation faced backlash from residents for its scope, which didn’t include future mitigation measures and policy responses.
The opposition’s motion calls for the environment and planning committee to inquire into the state’s preparedness for the flooding, including any contributing factors, the effectiveness of early warning systems and the resourcing of the State Emergency Service. It will also consider the effectiveness of the Victorian floodplain management strategy and structures like flood walls. It suggests a reporting deadline of 30 June 2024.
The Greens will move amendments to the motion – supported by the opposition – that will require the committee to consider a 2004 decision to approve the construction of a flood wall around Flemington racecourse, whether the growing effects of climate change were considered and any implications for future planning decisions.
At the time of the 2004 decision, three councils – Melbourne, Moonee Valley and Maribyrnong – objected to the flood wall and warned it could increase the flood risk of homes near the racetrack.
On Tuesday the state’s water minister, Harriet Shing, said she was looking forward to debating the matters to understand the impact of the flooding and future changes.
Shing has previously dismissed suggestions that Melbourne Water’s review could not be independent.
