Jennifer Pittorino
The Maribyrnong Community Recovery Committee (CRC) is calling on Fraser MP Daniel Mulino to help it secure federal funding to study the October 2022 Maribyrnong floods.
The committee met with Dr Mulino on Thursday, August 24, and submitted two requests for his assistance.
CRC chair Madeleine Serle said the requests were greeted positively.
Ms Serle said the community perspective is that the Maribyrnong floods have not been analysed by responsible bodies and statutory officers.
“The first point is to obtain funding from the Disaster Ready Fund for a project to build a data analytics study of the Maribyrnong floods, and to request for Emergency Victoria to conduct an all agency review under the state emergency management plan of the Maribyrnong floods. It was not done and has to be done,” she said.
“The second point requests that Dr Mulino endorse our application for a project to investigate strategies for flood mitigation.”
Ms Serle said the study would help work out what processes are required to mitigate future floods.
The CRC appreciates that there was a study done following the 1974 floods, but Ms Serle said this study is now outdated.
“We want something brand new, a contemporary, smart analysis that brings the latest science and technology.
“It is really important to the CRC that the voice of the Indigenous custodians for the river and the environmental stewards is part of developing strategies for mitigation to be absolutely side by side with whatever we do.”
Dr Mulino said the meeting was a great starting point which will need to be worked on with experts.
“There were some interesting ideas in the meeting and it’s a good starting point,” he said.
“I’m going to continue working with community representatives as we address these ideas.”
