Jennifer Pittorino
One year ago on October 14, 2022 Alison Baumgart and her family were not prepared to evacuate their home of eight years, but were faced with no choice when the Maribyrnong River flooded her quiet street.
Only after Alison noticed the build up of water and sewage down her street did she and her partner Shannon decide to pack up their three young children and flee.
“We asked the SES team if we needed to worry, they said no,” Alison said, reflecting on the past year.
“We were informed it would be minor to moderate flooding, and there was no need for concern.
“We were still loading up the kids and some valuables when the water started coming up over the tyres.”
Alison, Shannon and their kids, aged two, four and seven at the time, have been living in a rental for the past year like many of the other hundreds of flood victims.
Her concern now is what will happen after the one year insurance cover for a rental expires.
“I have challenged the insurance and asked them to extend the policy because of the delays, I am yet to hear back. So I am not sure where we are going to stay.
“My kids ask where we are going to live? Is this where we are going to live forever? When will we be moving? and I just don’t know.”
In the midst of her regular routine of school drop offs, work and extracurricular activities, Alison said the past year had been long and hard.
“The kids are extremely unsettled. As we speak right now it’s still 12 months on and still absolutely nothing’s been done.
“Insurance has been disgusting, there is no better word for it other than disgusting.
“They are not interested, we are just another file they will get to.”
One thing Alison said she is looking forward to is flood mitigation for the Maribyrnong area.
“It’s definitely something that we need to promote and get through. We can’t keep on having so many homes affected by floods that are ultimately caused by the authorities from their lack of planning and authorising things that probably shouldn’t have been authorised.”
Alison said there is no other option but for it to be fixed.
“I am looking forward to the insurance inquiry as I know there are alot of people who have had a lot of hardship with insurance.
“I hope it will be resolved and pushed forward in the right direction as soon as possible.”
