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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-09-04 Daily Xml
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Parliamentary Committees

Select Committee on 2022-23 River Murray Flood Event

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. N.J. Centofanti:

That the report of the select committee be noted.

(Continued from 14 May 2025.)

The Hon. J.S. LEE (17:04): I rise today to speak in support of the report of the Select Committee on 2022-23 River Murray Flood Event. The flooding along the River Murray between November 2022 and February 2023 was the largest flood event since 1956 and the third highest flood ever recorded.

The impact of the floods was devastating, which included damage to public infrastructure, housing, agriculture and land, and livestock and wildlife mortalities. There were considerable volumes of debris and waste during the flood event and the clean-up afterwards. The flood impacted on tourism due to restrictions placed on activities such as fishing, boating and houseboating, and also due to damage to the riverfront shack accommodations, especially over the long holiday periods. Also, many transport routes were damaged and required significant repair.

It was a privilege to be on this very important committee. It become quite a lengthy inquiry due to the large number of stakeholders and community members who were impacted. The committee worked diligently to get to as many regional areas as possible to listen and meet with witnesses. I would like to thank the Hon. Nicola Centofanti for her diligence and leadership as the committee Chair. I also want to thank my fellow committee members, the Hon. Reggie Martin, the Hon. Frank Pangallo and the Hon. Russell Wortley, for their valuable contributions.

I give special acknowledgement to the hardworking committee secretary, Anthony Beasley, and research officer, Dr Merry Brown, for their support and comprehensive work during the inquiry stage and in the preparation of the final report. This report is the culmination of a significant inquiry, with the committee hearing from over 75 witnesses, receiving 37 written submissions and undertaking visits and hearings in Murray Bridge and the Riverland as well as in Adelaide.

I thank all the witnesses who took the time to share their experiences and insights with the committee. Many of them provided some very emotional evidence. There were times when they were very heartbreaking to hear, with community members, farmers, irrigators and business operators reliving the devastating impact of the flood events and the recovery efforts on their properties. Witnesses provided invaluable insights and important feedback, raising serious concerns and issues about the damage and financial loss caused by the flood events and about the ongoing impact on their livelihoods, properties, families and mental health.

I personally found that the regional visits and hearings provided a very good experience and opportunity to see firsthand the lasting impact and effect of the flood events and to see how our river communities have rallied and worked together to overcome the devastation. We heard from local councils, the RDA, volunteers, emergency services agencies, business owners and other stakeholders about the strength, weaknesses and gaps in our state emergency preparedness and response frameworks in relation to a flood event of such magnitude.

The committee found that our current emergency management system is built largely for bushfires, storms and other acute but short-lived incidents and was ill-suited to the slow-moving and long-lasting flood event that we saw in 2022-23. I sincerely hope that the government seriously considers an alternative governance model for long-duration hazard events that enables better clarity, coordination and collaboration between agencies and communities.

The report makes a total of 23 recommendations, and, while I will not go into great detail about them, it is my fervent hope that the learnings presented to the inquiry do not go to waste and that the concerns raised by communities, councils, businesses and residents are addressed with tangible actions and outcomes.

I note that the recent amendments to the Emergency Management Act align with many concerns raised during the flood inquiry, particularly around recovery, leadership and the need for better coordination between agencies. This is definitely welcome; however, I urge the government to seriously consider all the recommendations, particularly around issues of transparency, procurement and clear lines of communication for future flooding events. Once again, I thank everyone who contributed to this important inquiry, and I acknowledge the strength and resilience of our river communities. With those remarks, I commend the report.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (17:09): I thank the Hon. Jing Lee for her contribution. I would also like to sincerely thank other members of the committee for their diligent work, thoughtful contributions and their commitment to this important inquiry. I want to acknowledge the many individuals, community organisations, councils, businesses and emergency services volunteers who engaged with the committee throughout this process. Their evidence, experiences and stories gave this report its depth and purpose.

Most importantly, we remember the communities who bore the brunt of this disaster. Once again they were called upon to endure hardship and upheaval, and they demonstrated resilience, generosity and community spirit. That is nothing short of inspirational.

The report highlights not only the scale of the impacts but also the lessons that must be learned. It draws attention to the importance of clear communication, timely decision-making, better coordination across the agencies and stronger preparedness for future flooding events. It also underlines the urgent need for accountability.

In closing, I especially acknowledge the people along the River Murray whose courage and persistence continues to inspire me. This report is dedicated to them. It is now up to the government and this parliament to ensure its findings and its recommendations lead to lasting improvements.

Motion carried.

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