Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Ethan Hamilton

'It has flooded before, it will flood again': Hornery hosts shadow water minister in a bid for action

Wallsend Labor MP Sonia Hornery hosted the state shadow minister for water Tuesday, to view Ironbark Creek infrastructure and address flooding concerns. Picture by Ethan Hamilton

Wallsend Labor MP Sonia Hornery hosted the state shadow minister for water Tuesday, to view Ironbark Creek infrastructure and address flooding concerns

Ms Hornery said there is a "great insecurity" among businesses in Wallsend since the 2007 Pasha Bulker storm.

"Why would you invest all your money in any kind of businesses knowing you might be flooded again," Ms Hornery said.

"I want our businesses to be secure here in Wallsend knowing that if it floods, there is some mitigation."

She said, because the stormwater infrastructure in Wallsend is owned and operated by Hunter Water, "one would expect that they would also be able to expand and maintain the drainage too".

Ms Hornery's office said Hunter Water had previously advised the member for Wallsend that without a regulatory requirement from the state water minister, they would not be committing funding to fix flooding issues in the Wallsend CBD.

"I have invited a succession of government water ministers to view the stormwater infrastructure in the Wallsend CBD to see for themselves the issue. Unfortunately, they do not seem to take it seriously," Ms Hornery said.

Wallsend Labor MP Sonia Hornery. Picture by Ethan Hamilton.

A government spokesperson said flood mitigation planning for Ironbark Creek through Wallsend is the responsibility of the City of Newcastle.

In a letter to Ms Hornery earlier this month, Minister for Land and Water Kevin Anderson said the NSW Government had "invested in initiatives to reduce flooding risk to Ironbark Creek", including grants to the City of Newcastle to carry out work as party of their flood risk management plan in Wallsend.

Mr Anderson also said the government had funded an engineering review of the City of Newcastle's proposal to widen Ironbark Creek which "included a review of opportunities for refinement in design and construction methodology, and an update of project costings".

"This review, completed by Jacobs, included a review of opportunities for refinement in design and construction methodology, and an update of project costings," Mr Anderson said in the letter.

Shadow Minister for Water, Rose Jackson, joined Ms Hornery in Wallsend on Tuesday morning and said the shadow government couldn't get a copy of the report and intended to use "parliamentary processes" to obtain one.

However, Hunter Water told the Newcastle Herald the report's "outcomes have been shared with City of Newcastle and we have also offered to brief the Member for Wallsend".

Wallsend Labor MP Sonia Hornery hosted the state shadow minister for water Tuesday, to view Ironbark Creek infrastructure and address flooding concerns. Picture by Ethan Hamilton

Hunter Water also said it had been working collaboratively with the City of Newcastle "as it progresses plans to reduce flooding risk in Wallsend".

"While we have an interest in this project and have been working constructively with Council, we do not have the authority or a regulatory obligation that enables us to invest directly in widening Ironbark Creek," a Hunter Water spokesperson said.

In the wake of consecutive rain events, Ms Jackson said the "infrastructure simply isn't good enough".

"It's rained for months and we've seen flooding in various areas right across the Hunter," Ms Jackson said.

"It hasn't impacted the Wallsend community yet but to be perfectly honest we know it's a matter of time. This community is flood prone, it has flooded before, it will flood again."

WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.