INQ217

Recommendations for this Inquiry

INQ-ref REC-UID CODE SubCode SrcNUM Recommendation
INQ217 REC217-1807 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 1

A revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy is needed and should clearly articulate the principles, roles and responsibilities for the ownership, management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s levees.

INQ217 REC217-1816 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 10

That the Department of Sustainability and Environment continue to invest in the auditing of Victoria’s levee systems, both public and private, so that the Victoria Flood Database contains reliable and up to date data, including information on levees’ location, height, condition and ongoing viabil

INQ217 REC217-1817 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 11

The current technical guidelines for the construction of levee systems will be reviewed.

INQ217 REC217-1818 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 12

The Department of Sustainability and Environment to review ownership of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water’s Yarriambiack Creek levee, with a view to the appointment of a more suitable public managing authority/authorities.

INQ217 REC217-1819 A - Responsibility 22 - Role of local Gvt Recommendation 13

In consultation with local communities, local councils will develop flood response plans as subplans to their current Municipal Emergency Management Plans.

INQ217 REC217-1820 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 14

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop guidelines for the management of levees in emergencies, during and after a flood event, which can be incorporated into local flood response plans.

INQ217 REC217-1821 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 15

Where flood investigations show positive and cost effective outcomes, infrastructure providers, such as VicRoads, will consider enhancing their infrastructure to act as levees.

INQ217 REC217-1822 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 16

The state government will work with Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and stakeholders to determine ongoing ownership and associated responsibilities for redundant channel infrastructure in the Wimmera and the Mallee.

INQ217 REC217-1823 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 17

The Victorian Government should work with the New South Wales Government and the Murray Darling Basin Authority to establish an appropriate floodplain management committee and to develop a floodplain management strategy for the Murray River.

INQ217 REC217-1824 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 18

The Victorian Government to implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the development and implementation of appropriate flood mitigation and protection strategies for essential services.

INQ217 REC217-1825 A - Responsibility 22 - Role of local Gvt Recommendation 19

When developing flood mitigation options in lowland areas, local governments should give consideration to the use of temporary levees as an alternative or addition to permanent structures.

INQ217 REC217-1808 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 2

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should provide a strategic framework for the management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s levees.

INQ217 REC217-1826 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 20

A revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should identify and assign roles and responsibilities for the management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s waterways, for the purposes of flood protection and flood mitigation:

INQ217 REC217-1827 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 21

The role of flood risk management planning rests with CMAs and Melbourne Water (under the Water Act 1989), and is a shared responsibility with local government. Shared responsibilities for flood risk management planning and implementation will be consistently reflected in government policy.

INQ217 REC217-1828 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 22

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should clearly articulate the policy guidelines for the management of vegetation and debris in Victorian waterways, for the purposes of flood protection and mitigation, taking into account the localised potential flooding effects of in‐stream vegetat

INQ217 REC217-1829 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 23

The Department of Sustainability and Environment should develop guidelines for streamlining the permitting system for works on waterways for incorporation in the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy.

INQ217 REC217-1830 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 24

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop a code of practice on the removal of vegetation around critical public assets, in consultation with councils, CMAs and asset managers.

INQ217 REC217-1831 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 25

Significant modification of waterways in urban or rural areas will only be considered after the completion of a flood risk management process, undertaken in consultation with members of the community.

INQ217 REC217-1832 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 26

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should clearly identify authorities and assign responsibilities for stream blockage and debris removal in waterways posing a high risk to public infrastructure both during and after a flood:

INQ217 REC217-1833 C - Response 34 - Local knowledge Recommendation 27

Local knowledge on the management and ongoing maintenance of waterways, including vegetation clearing and debris removal, needs to be incorporated in the development of regional flood mitigation strategies and local flood plans. Specifically:

INQ217 REC217-1834 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 28

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop clear policy for the coordinated management of rural drainage, clarifying the legal framework, and identifying authorities with responsibility for the management and ongoing maintenance of formal schemes, and their development:

INQ217 REC217-1835 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 29

Within the jurisdiction of Melbourne Water, it shares with local councils the responsibility to manage local drainage systems as outlined under the Water Act 1989 and the Local Government Act 1989 respectively:

INQ217 REC217-1809 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 3

All priority public levees not currently the subject of approved schemes, will become subject to approved schemes under Division 5, Part 10 of the Water Act 1989. Such schemes will articulate an agreed set of terms, including:

INQ217 REC217-1836 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 30

Flood studies will be undertaken to determine the flood extent on the basis of a greater than 1 in 100 ARI, where appropriate:
• The Water Act 1989 to be amended.

INQ217 REC217-1837 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 31

The state government give consideration to enacting legislation to provide protection from legal liability for public authorities conducting works on priority levees in good faith, acting reasonably and responsibly in the public interest, and in accordance with standards agreed to under approved

INQ217 REC217-1838 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 32

That statements of obligations, issued under the Water Industry Act 1994 for water authorities, be amended to include a provision whereby managing authorities must:

INQ217 REC217-1839 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 33

The state government accept recommendations 25 to 28, inclusive, of the Victorian Floods Review.

INQ217 REC217-1840 A - Responsibility 25 - Inquiry, audit, lessons management and after action review Recommendation 34

The state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 8, to review the flood gauging network.

INQ217 REC217-1841 C - Response 34 - Local knowledge Recommendation 35

The state government establish a well coordinated and formalised system for the reading of river gauges by local people, including flood wardens.

INQ217 REC217-1842 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 36

The state government review the current funding approach used for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of river gauges, with a view to improving the river gauge network.

INQ217 REC217-1843 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 37

The state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 10 in relation to the datums used to describe river and stream heights.

INQ217 REC217-1844 C - Response 34 - Local knowledge Recommendation 38

Public authorities such as councils and CMAs should continue to seek local knowledge in relation to flood management issues. In particular, councils will collaborate with VICSES and other key stakeholders in reviewing the system of flood wardens.

INQ217 REC217-1845 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 39

The state government should provide core, ongoing funding to the responsible authority for the FloodSafe community education program.

INQ217 REC217-1810 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 4

Where a levee has been identified as low priority, and beneficiaries are not willing to contribute to its maintenance, public authorities will inform levee beneficiaries that they will not fund the repair of their levee following a flood event.

INQ217 REC217-1846 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 40

The state government should implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the creation of resilience committees and resilience plans, with responsible authorities.

INQ217 REC217-1811 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 5

Responsible authorities will identify low priority levees for potential removal, and have them removed when funding becomes available.

INQ217 REC217-1812 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 6

Streamlined processes to enable access to levees for the purposes of conducting works, including maintenance, must be implemented.

INQ217 REC217-1813 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 7

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop guidelines for streamlining the permitting system for conducting works on levees for incorporation in the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy, in order for maintenance on all levees to occur more quickly.

INQ217 REC217-1814 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 8

The funding model for works on levees and their ongoing maintenance be revised, to be primarily based on the beneficiary pays principle. The state government should give consideration to wholly funding, or contributing to, the initial upgrade of high priority levees to an agreed standard.

INQ217 REC217-1815 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 9

A regular inspection and maintenance regime will be undertaken for all high priority levees managed by a public authority. All such levees will be inspected by the relevant public authority on an annual basis, and after a flood event. All levees will have a regular maintenance schedule.