Flood Policy- what policy?

Council's across Australia have policies to guide us mere mortals when it comes to building or buying homes.

Policies to make sure that we dont haplessly build our new home on a flood plain- or at least build it high enough out if the water when the next flood comes that we or our possesions dont get washed away and become more of a hazard for emergency services.

Sounds logical and protectionist- and after the Queensland flash flooding that took the lives of some, you would think that people would be more inclined to follow the rules that Government bring in.

NOT in SHOALHAVEN LAND: all you have to do here is hire a consultant ( I call them The Fixits), make a presentation to Council advisinfg that Councils well educated and professional staff are wrong, maybe make a few phone calls to Councillors to stake your claim and hey presto- the magic wand of elected Councillors waves a big tick over your application and policy be dammed.

This was the scenario at a recent Council meeting were an applicant sought to subdivide a block and build a house in the Moona Moona Creek catchment. The current flood guide advisies that flood waters will reach 700mm and if Council follows the guidelines put out by the State Government this should be revised to 1.5meters.

Some areas of flood prone land can be developed with the floor level designed to be above the maximum flood level- but in this case Councillors ignored the expected flood levels to allow the dwelling and subdivsion to go ahead at the current level.

This might suit the current owners but as time goes on and owners change and climate change consequences start to unravel the occupants of this soon to be constructed house will be asking the same questions as those involved in the Queensland Flood Enquiry- why on earth did the planning authority allow this house to be built here!

The elected Council led on this occasion by Councillors Andrew Guile and Greg Watson, continue to make decsions against the flood plain planning guidelines a legacy of poor planning will be felt all across the City.

Its one thing to apply Liberal policy and be the friend of all- but its another altogether to mess with the lives of emergency service workers often volunteers, by planning so badly that everyone is at risk.