HANSARD
SITTING CALENDAR
SEARCH
LIVE BROADCAST
Hansard Dynamic Member Index
House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-03-22 Daily Xml
Contents
Pdf Xml

KANGAROO ISLAND RAINFALL

Mr PENGILLY (Finniss) (15:32): Two days ago, on Sunday 20 March, there was extraordinary rainfall over Kangaroo Island, particularly over the town of Kingscote. Some 125 millimetres, or five inches, fell on Kingscote from about 10 or 11 o'clock in the morning through to the early hours of the next morning. Unfortunately, this has resulted in major flooding at the Kingscote campus of Kangaroo Island Community Education. I draw it to the house's attention because the department was warned. The department was told about it, and it refused to listen to the words of wisdom from those in the know about the potential for rainfall on that school facility, given the drainage that it wishes to put in place.

The stormwater at higher neighbouring properties flooded four buildings, including eight classrooms and the school administration, completed in 2009 under the funded redevelopment by the state and the commonwealth, which was a project approved by the Public Works Committee, of which I was a member.

However, the path of the floodwaters has been known for over 20 years—and this is the annoying part—following other heavy rainfall periods in the town. It has been confirmed by the Kangaroo Island Council and it has also been confirmed by staff of the Kingscote campus, many of whom have been there for a long time. Their local knowledge was not taken into consideration in the design of the redevelopment.

Significant site works are required to better prepare the Kingscote campus for future rain episodes. It is an outrageous disgrace that local knowledge has been ignored by the department yet again and that this has happened.

The best estimates at the moment are around $40,000 in damage—it could be up to $50,000; it could be more or it could be fractionally less—but the reality is that it has caused widespread disruption. Brand-new carpets have had to be thrown out and some of the furniture which has been damaged by water will have to be replaced.

Concerns were raised in 2000 and 2009 regarding the adequacy of the stormwater drainage system that was installed by the contractor. There are drainage pits with grates that appear to be above the ground level or placed in areas under verandas or high points where rain never reaches. This was brought to the department's attention but, no, they would not listen.

Combined with the very bad levelling of the redeveloped site which has now been paved, floodwaters were directed to enter under doorways and—a major concern—under walls as well. The paving area does not direct water away from the buildings. Even in normal rain conditions the water simply does not flow to the drains in many other areas. It is a public disgrace that this has taken place, quite frankly. It is a grossly improper expenditure of public moneys that the department under whose banner this falls did not take into account what was going to happen, and this has happened.

The poor drainage on three-year-old buildings was identified by school leaders coming to me through the governing councils—people responsible for these projects. Limited remediation has been achieved and now, given the time since the buildings were handed over to DECS, it appears that the warranty period is probably well and truly over and that the school's very limited breakdown allocation will be used to fund the repairs.

The minister ought to take a good, hard look at this. He ought to pull his people in and ask what the devil is going on. Fortunately, the DTEI facilities manager from Murray Bridge, I am informed, has provided excellent on-site support in an attempt to clean it up and get things back into place. However, here we have $9 million of public money being spent on the school. They would not listen about the drainage. They would not listen to the local community council—those people who knew what was going on—and now we have had severe flooding, severe damage and disruption. This is the thing: it has happened and it has severely disrupted school life, and it will make it difficult for students and staff and those employed in other areas around that facility over the next few months.

It is simply not good enough. Unfortunately, it shows all the hallmarks of how the Rann government is letting the bureaucracy reign supreme, not pulling these people into gear and not listening to people on the ground who have the answers. We are seeing it in the marine parks fiasco; we are seeing well and truly that that department is riding roughshod completely over the people of South Australia and particularly over the Rann government and the minister for the environment. In this case, I ask the Minister for Education to launch an investigation into this. I would happily assist because I do not want to see students in that school (or any other schools in my electorate) disadvantaged by an act of absolute stupidity.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS
MEMBERS
GET INVOLVED
ABOUT PARLIAMENT
VISIT
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
CONTACT