That 2.4-metre-high embankment along Flemington Racecourse’s river frontage protected it on October 14 from flooding while its neighbours across the river were inundated by the rising waters.
The flood wall will be reviewed by the Melbourne Water inquiry,according to the terms of reference.
In all,the review will look at nine aspects of October’s flood,including its overall impact,what contributed to the event,and future flood modelling and prediction.
Melbourne Water managing director Nerina Di Lorenzo said the inquiry would focus precisely on what unfolded last October,noting Maribyrnong residents “have gone through a really hard time”.
“We really need to complete the work in a timely way because so many broader considerations will come from just getting a very clear picture of exactly what happened,” she said.
Di Lorenzo said if the scope of the inquiry was too large,it would take too long to complete. “It’s something that should be done in a timely way.”
She also said some of what had unfolded during October’s flood was outside Melbourne Water’s areas of responsibility. “Issues like the way the incident was managed,warnings,broader planning considerations:these involve multiple agencies. They are much broader than Melbourne Water.”
Di Lorenzo said she was aware of how traumatic the floods had been for those whose homes were hit,and the inquiry would ensure that “residents have a chance and a way to have their voices heard”.
Asked if Melbourne Water had a role in providing the emergency response to the floods,Di Lorenzo agreed it was one of several agencies providing data to the State Emergency Service to inform warnings to people of imminent floods.
The flood-warning system has been a major point of contention,with many residents unaware they were at risk of flooding on the morning of October 14 until water was already in their driveways.
Residents in Maribyrnong whose homes were inundated that Friday morning said they were disappointed by the review’s narrow focus.
Lee Lanzafame,whose Clyde Street house was flooded,said he was stunned that issues with the warning system would not be included and wanted to see attention given to potential policy responses and mitigation measures.
“I’m shocked to be honest,” Lanzafame said. “I don’t know ifthe Arundel Dam is the right solution,but at least let’s have a conversation about why it isn’t and what is the right thing.”
Fellow Maribyrnong resident Suzie Fakhri feared the review would fail to assure residents that action would be taken to help prevent future flooding.
“How do we fix this so we don’t have to go through this again? We’re in the 21st century and we should have the resources and infrastructure to prevent the severity of flooding,” Fakhri said. “If nothing is going to be done,I’m considering moving. I don’t feel I need to be going through this.”
Geoff Crapper,a hydrologist who has specialised in the Maribyrnong River for decades and worked at Melbourne Water from 1972 until 2003,said excluding key items from the scope of the inquiry was a poor decision.
Loading
“They’re just ticking a box with this inquiry,” he said. “They don’t want the answers to come out to what went wrong.”
A spokeswoman for acting Water Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the review was “being undertaken by Melbourne Water and we’ll await the outcomes and recommendations”.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories,analysis and insights.Sign up here.