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Community facilities Environment and Water | December 15, 2016

Kealy - Urgent flood funding must be released

The Nationals Member for Lowan, Emma Kealy MP is calling on the Labor Government to immediately release funding to repair and replace infrastructure damaged during the September flood events and to deliver on their promise to undertake a flood study for Coleraine.

“It has been over three months since our region experienced the devastating impact of flood events and local communities are still desperate for Labor to release infrastructure funding to restore community assets,” Ms Kealy said

“Examples of significant damage to local assets include the Casterton and Coleraine Bowling Clubs and the Chetwynd community toilets and tennis courts.

“I have written directly to the Premier urging the Labor Government to ensure that flood funding is made available to Councils as a matter of urgency to allow vital repair works to be undertaken.

"The biggest challenge for local residents and property owners during the September flood events on the Glenelg River were the limited warning times and changing expectations regarding water level heights.

“The Deputy Premier looked local people in the eye and committed to a Coleraine flood study. The Andrew’s Labor Government have failed to take any action to enable the study to proceed.

“The Premier, the Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Water have been disturbingly silent and I will continue to lobby the Andrew’s Labor Government for urgent flood and infrastructure funding to be released in our region.

“Local people are desperate to return their lives and communities back to normal and Labor must provide the support our local people need,” she said.