05 July 2014
No Flood Money from Canberra
In the end the entire debate about how to manage flooding from Brown Hill creek may come to nothing. The Federal government have this week ruled out putting in their $50 million share of the money. This project was to be funded a one third each from local, state and federal government. Councils have been working on this plan since 2006. I guess procrastination has paid off, after all this plan should have been completed years ago and it should already be offering the protection from flooding to residents that they deserve. As we are getting closer to a final solution (it should come to Council next month) it seems we are further than ever from getting anything done. What a pity! But can Councils and state government agree to go fifty: fifty? Can Councils afford to do it on their own? Even the current amount of money that Unley has budgeted for in it's long term financial plan is 5% of rate revenue/year: are you prepared to pay more ?
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Jennie, the current and past Federal Government have never promised or committed to 1/3 share of this project. Assistant Minister Jamie Briggs has recently confirmed that a Liberal Government isn't into funding stormwater mitigation projects.
ReplyDeleteNor have they said that they wouldn't fund it, they have always known that they would be asked to chip in their share when an agreement between Councils had been reached. Luckily, for them, Councils have been working on an agreement longer than even the worst sceptics might have imagined. Now an agreement is likely to be reached it's time for the Federal government to do their bit. so, no they haven't, but it is about time that they did.
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