25 May, 2023
Flood warning network to be established
The Australian Government is investing $236 million over 10 years to establish a national flood warning network.
The investment aims to help communities, emergency services and businesses access reliable flood forecasts and warnings to help them prepare and respond to flooding events by improving reliability and consistency of flood data, forecasts and warnings.
The funding will be used to purchase and upgrade high priority flood gauges that are currently owned by local, state and territory governments in flood-prone areas.
In many cases these are run down and poorly maintained.
Based on the advice of the Bureau of Meteorology, work in Queensland will be prioritised.
This is due to the high flood risk to the community in Australia’s most disaster-prone state and the Queensland Government’s prior commitment to share the cost of ongoing operations of the flood gauge network.
This funding will ensure high priority catchment upgrades can begin in every state and territory across Australia, if successful cost sharing arrangements are agreed to.
Over a number of years, local and state governments have been calling for a national solution to address critical, long-standing risks in Australia’s flood gauge network.
Dating as far back as 2015, studies have warned that the patchwork flood gauge network would increase risk during floods.
Most recently, following the devastating 2022 flood season, multiple independent inquiries called upon the Federal Government to consolidate, upgrade and assume responsibility for ongoing maintenance of the flood network.
The inquiries identified several, terrifying examples where communities were left uninformed or unprepared during the floods because of broken or outdated flood gauges.
The initiative has received support from The Nationals.
Shadow Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Perin Davey, said it will significantly improve the government’s ability to monitor and respond to flood risks across the country.
“It is extremely important that there is collaboration across all levels of government in addressing the significant impact
floods have had on communities, especially so in regional Queensland, Western Australia and New South Wales,” Senator Davey said.
“One area that needs work in order to be consistent nationally is the terminology used for flood warnings and early preparations during tropical lows which can cause similar flooding to cyclones.
“I am concerned the Government intends to spend a decade or more acquiring and improving various state systems across the country in order to build up the network.”
