Media release – Senator Anne Urquhart, Labor Senator for Tasmania, 2 March 2022
THREE YEARS OF INACTION BRING A FLOOD OF EXCUSES
Senator Anne Urquhart, Labor Senator for Tasmania, is calling for an explanation of why it has taken nearly three years for Braddon MP, Gavin Pearce, to make an inquiry on the progress of the Latrobe flood levee project.
The Member for Braddon has failed to deliver flood mitigation for Latrobe.
It’s been six years since Latrobe residents were devastated by floods which caused great harm to the Latrobe community.
But the Morrison-Joyce government are still no closer to delivering the Latrobe flood levee project.
“This vital flood protection is one of at least six projects promised by the Morrison-Joyce Government at the last election that hasn’t even started or is years behind schedule,” Senator Urquhart said.
“I first spoke to Latrobe Council about this on 28 July last year. It has been an issue for even longer, and I have raised it at each meeting with council.
“Gavin Pearce only made an inquiry earlier this year, on the eve of an election.
“The heartbreaking pictures and stories from Queensland and NSW must be distressing for the Latrobe residents who woke up in June 2016 to find their town under water.”
Latrobe was hard-hit in the widespread flooding in Tasmania in 2016, which claimed three lives and caused $200 million in property and infrastructure damage around the state.
Labor Candidate for Braddon, Chris Lynch, said it’s not surprising the Morrison-Joyce Government has failed to deliver projects when it has gutted the federal Department of Environment over their decade in government.
“The Morrison-Joyce Government has cut funding to the department by 40% causing massive delays to critical infrastructure, jobs and investment,” Mr Lynch said.
In one year, 95% of key decisions were made outside statutory timeframes.
“You cannot deliver anything on time if you’re cutting resources and reducing the number of people available to give a project the tick of approval.
“And if you cut corners, the courts will cut you down when interest groups inevitably appeal the decisions.”
PROJECTS PROMISED:
• Burnie Shiploader (2019) – STILL IN DESIGN STAGE
• Cooee road upgrade (2019) – NOT STARTED
• Cradle Mountain Cableway (2018) – NOT STARTED
• Don Irrigation Scheme expansion (2019) – NOT STARTED
• Latrobe flood levee (2018) – NOT STARTED
• West Coast Aged Care Beds (2019) – NOT STARTED
“The lack of follow-through from the Member for Braddon has also been a major contributing factor to the long delays in these promised projects,” Mr Lynch said.
“Once again, Latrobe residents are being let down by the Member for Braddon, who is big on announcement, small on delivery.”
