Opposition and crossbench MPs could force the Victorian government’s hand on a parliamentary inquiry into the flooding of the Maribyrnong River after the independence of Melbourne Water’s review was called into question.
The head of the Maribyrnong River flood inquiry, Nick Wimbush, stood down on Tuesday night after The Age revealed his previous role in supporting planning changes that led to a riverside retirement village building homes that were swamped during last year’s disaster.
Two people ride through floodwater from the Maribyrnong River in October last year.Credit:Scott McNaughton
The Coalition and the Greens have introduced separate motions to establish a state upper house inquiry into the devastating October flood and need the support of only three other MPs.
At least three crossbench MPs, David Ettershank, Jeff Bourman and David Limbrick, said they were open to the possibility, but would finalise their positions only once they had seen the proposed terms of reference.
The reviews suggested by the Greens and the Coalition differ in scope – the former is focused on the Maribyrnong River flood, while the latter is statewide – but the parties indicated they were open to working together.
“The community feels like the government is trying to do a box-ticking exercise and sweep criticism and blame under the carpet when they actually deserve and want some change,” Greens water spokeswoman Ellen Sandell said.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Wednesday said an inquiry into the flood should be led by experts.
“The more and more politicians are involved in this, the less likely we are to get the outcome that residents and all Victorians want and need,” he said.
The push for a parliamentary inquiry comes after The Age reported on Monday that Melbourne Water’s early warning system failed to give adequate warning to residents in the suburb of Maribyrnong last October. As the river rose rapidly, residents had just moments to leave their homes.
The terms of reference for the Melbourne Water flood review provoked anger among residents because they included flood modelling but specifically excluded warning procedures.
October’s floodwater swamped the suburb of Maribyrnong. It was the worst flood on the river since 1974.Credit:Nine News
Water Minister Harriet Shing dismissed suggestions Melbourne Water could not be independent, despite the authority being government-owned and reviewing some of its own processes and decisions.
“It’s independent in that government is not involved in it, and it wouldn’t therefore be appropriate for me to run a commentary on the way that Melbourne Water has conducted its review,” she said.
Shing would not comment on Melbourne Water appointing Wimbush to run its inquiry, a move in which a Victorian government spokeswoman said her office was not involved.
In response to questions from the opposition in the upper house on Wednesday, Shing said she was not sure when she learnt of Wimbush’s appointment or whether her staff had spoken with Melbourne Water on Tuesday.
However, a state government spokeswoman said: “As is the usual process, the minister’s office receives regular updates from Melbourne Water on their operations.”
Ettershank, the new upper house MP representing Legalise Cannabis, also questioned Shing on the review’s scope: “[This] is a review that’s literally being done by Melbourne Water, of Melbourne Water … albeit that there is an independent panel,” he said. “These are big issues and these are bigger issues than Melbourne Water.”
Opposition water spokesperson Tim McCurdy said Victorians were right to question the integrity of the inquiry.
“Those impacted by this flood deserve a truly independent and comprehensive review into what went wrong and why, but at the moment are getting anything but,” he said.
A Melbourne Water spokesman said the authority had been aware of Wimbush’s role in the removal of a flood overlay from the Avondale Heights retirement village before naming him review chair.
“[This] was reviewed by an independent probity adviser before his appointment,” he said. “The decision for Mr Wimbush to step aside was taken mutually, so that any perceptions of conflict did not distract from the important work of the review.”
Upper house leader of the opposition Georgie Crozier introduced a motion on Tuesday for a parliamentary inquiry that would probe the adequacy of statewide early warning systems, the resourcing of the State Emergency Service, and mitigation structures such as walls and levees – all factors that will not be considered by Melbourne Water’s review.
The Greens on Wednesday introduced a separate motion calling for the establishment of an upper house parliamentary inquiry into the Maribyrnong River floods.
Sandell said residents in Maribyrnong, Avondale Heights, Kensington, Ascot Vale and Flemington were “deeply disappointed” with the water authority’s review because of its narrow scope and the perception Melbourne Water lacked independence.
Both Melbourne Water’s review and the Greens’ proposed upper house inquiry include the impact of the Flemington Racecourse flood wall the on Maribyrnong River flooding, and whether it exacerbated the impact on homes in surrounding areas.
The racecourse flood wall was approved in 2006 by the then Labor government, after being proposed by the Victoria Racing Club and not opposed by Melbourne Water. Three councils — Melbourne, Moonee Valley and Maribyrnong — objected to the wall.
“Last year areas of Kensington and Maribyrnong were under metres of water while the Flemington racecourse was kept dry,” Sandell said.
Melbourne Water is chaired by John Thwaites, who was water minister in the Bracks Labor government when the racecourse wall was approved. Thwaites recused himself from involvement in the flood review.
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