Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett has today challenged Labor MP Leanne Donaldson to outline her government’s flood mitigation plans for Bundaberg.
Speaking on-site current flood recovery works, Mr Bennett said he held concerns that a number of the rebuilding projects were reliant on the highly successful Royalties for the Regions program, which Labor plans to scrap.
“The former state government’s signature Royalties for the Regions funding was approved for the construction of flood levees in North Bundaberg and the stabilisation of a large section of the Burnett River bank,” he said.
“To date, around $174 million in State and Federal government funding has been approved for Bundaberg Regional Council to restore community infrastructure that was affected by ex-tropical cyclones Tasha and Oswald.
“This includes more than $15 million for 18 betterment projects, to improve flood resilience in Bundaberg under the former Queensland Government’s Betterment Fund initiative, another program which is under threat of being scrapped by the Labor Government.
“Major projects were progressing well prior to the state election with all levels of governments providing much-needed funds, including an early warning network of river and rain gauges, to provide real time information to notify local residents.
“Significant funds were allocated for floodplain monitoring of the lower Burnett River, Kolan River and Gin Gin Creek.
“Together the local, state and federal governments have come a long way, but clearly there’s still more to be done right across Bundaberg to get the region back on track.”
Mr Bennett called on Leanne Donaldson and her Labor government to commit to funding further flood mitigation projects.
“The previous state government was fully committed to flood mitigation in Bundaberg. We have heard not one word from this new Labor Government about their commitment to flood mitigation,” he said.