MP Templeman says it took ‘looming election’ for Libs to promise funding for flood mitigation study

How much will Hawkesbury get, asks MP, as government says flood study will see Penrith LGA get “majority of projects”

Macquarie MP Susan Templeman will be asking the Federal government how much attention the Hawkesbury will be getting when it comes to flood mitigation infrastructure after this morning’s announcement that most will be spent in the Penrith area.

The Federal government revealed this morning that in partnership with the NSW government they are set to spend $33m on a study to work up plans for a variety of flood mitigation measures across the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, ranging from “works to improve flood evacuation in the region, such as road widening, new culvert and bridge structures, road raising, pinch point upgrades and drainage improvements”.

The media release sent out by Federal Infrastructure Minister, Paul Fletcher, said, “the majority of projects will be undertaken in Penrith Local Government Area, with others in the Hawkesbury, Blacktown and The Hills Local Government Area”.

“Given I have called for improved evacuation routes for years, it will be of no surprise that I welcome the announcement by the Federal Government to do a study on roads and clearing out drains,” Ms Templeman told the Post.

“This has been needed for a long time, and it’s a shame it took two consecutive floods in 2020 and 2021 and a looming election to get them to act.

Ms Templeman also took a shot at her Liberal rival for the seat of Macquarie, Sarah Richards, who was quoted in News Corp’s Daily Telegraph this morning as saying the March 2021 flood “came as a shock” to the community as there had not been a major flood for almost three decades.

“Floods are no shock to this community,” said Ms Templeman. “We are on a flood plain and it’s documented that they’ve damaged land and homes since before Colonial settlement.

“I am concerned that the reports indicate most of this funding will be spent in the neighbouring electorate of Lindsay, around Penrith, rather than in the Hawkesbury.”

“I will be writing to the Minister to clarify exactly how much attention will come to our area, which was the most severely affected by the last flood.

“The Liberals have sat on their hands on this issue while the $4.7 billion Emergency Response Fund simply accrued interest. Not a single project has been completed.

“It also raises questions about whether the Morrison Government thinks it’s okay that their multi-million dollar investment in duplicating the Richmond Bridge won’t help with flood evacuation.

“It’s also a great pity the Minister’s visit [to the Hawkesbury] did not provide him the opportunity to hear from residents affected by the preferred option for the bridge duplication.

“This government has done next to nothing to protect our communities through disaster resilience and mitigation funding – that’s why an Albanese Labor Government will establish the Disaster Ready Fund, to spend up to $200 million every year on protecting our communities through projects like flood levees, evacuation centres and more,” said the MP.

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