AS a Kerang West flood victim, I read with interest in the Gannawarra Times that Gannawarra Shire Council received over 500 signatures in a petition for the Shire to clear the Loddon floodway to mitigate flooding.
But, some councillors have stated it is not in council’s responsibility to do anything about it.
One then has to ask why in council’s 2022 flood submission to the State Government, the council named their No.1 priority as: “As a matter of priority, fund, and direct appropriate authorities (North Central Catchment Authority and Goulburn-Murray Water) to repair strategic rural levee banks and clear strategic waterway blockages across Gannawarra Shire to prevent re-flooding vast areas of productive agricultural land, private and public assets, infrastructure, and homes.”
That report to the State Government was in June 2023 – two years ago.
Has the council funded any of this, or directed any authority concerning the blocked waterway that threatens the town bank and bursts Kerang West bank flooding many homes and businesses and blocking the highway?
Now some councillors are saying it’s not the council’s responsibility.
That seems contrary to the council’s official report to the State Government.
Residents have put forward solutions to mitigate future flood risk via the petition.
One councillor stated there would have to be some “serious modelling” to see what “the impact would be” to clearing the floodway.
One would be better to state: “We know what the ramifications are of doing nothing, numb hands from sitting on them and devastated ratepayers who are set to be flooded yet again”.
Einstein was quoted as saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome”.
So, if nothing is done, not only will flooding occur again but with the vegetation’s recent rapid growth the town bank is also at greater peril.
The petition proposal was only to clear the floodway path back to where it used to be before lignum and weeds took over and obstructed it, not alter it.
Does GMW do “serious modelling” of cleaning a channel before they proceed or are they confident they are just restoring it to what it was?
Councillors can use any excuse they like, but they will be called to account if the brutalised Kerang West residents are flooded again.
The floodwater is heading downstream to where it is going regardless, but it doesn’t need to build up and flood houses and businesses in Kerang West and threaten Kerang township on the way.
Councillors have a serious responsibility to ratepayers and residents and need to adhere to their responsibility to the health and wellbeing of all residents, not only those that live on the east side of the town bank.
Jacqui Longhurst,
Kerang
