Why is it that Port Phillip, Bayside and Kingston councils can publish the progress on the Elster Creek Catchment flooding mitigation project and Glen Eira is silent – apart from seeking councillor endorsement for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in June 2017?
These other councils have had no qualms in letting their residents know that:
- A community forum was held
- An action plan has been devised
- CEOs have met several times
In Glen Eira all of this remains secret. Since Glen Eira is the major ‘culprit’ as the Elster Creek Catchment covers huge areas of the municipality, one would have thought that Glen Eira residents should at the very least be kept up to date with what is happening. Yet, there was nothing up on council’s website regarding the recent community forum. There is nothing in the minutes regarding the proposed ‘action plan’. Why the silence and why when we have again had more recent flooding is there this reluctance to give this issue the attention it deserves?
Here is the link to the Port Phillip data – http://portphillip.vic.gov.au/E135525_17__Action_Plan_Elster_Creek_Catchment_-_FINAL_Oct_2017.pdf
And uploaded HERE is the report on the community forum.
Glen Eira Debates 
January 9, 2018 at 2:58 PM
Virginia Park is part of the catchment. Flooding already a huge problem for surrounding streets there. Another 3000 boxes plus stacks of concrete should do wonders for flood mitigation.
January 9, 2018 at 3:36 PM
Off topic. Aquinita Lodge (Caulfield Racecourse) – http://www.theage.com.au/sport/horseracing/trainers-robert-smerdon-tony-vasil-among-eight-charged-by-racing-victoria-over-raceday-treatments-20180109-h0flxy.html
January 10, 2018 at 2:26 PM
Yes interesting as they get subsidised crown land for their horses to live on. The smell is putrid most days. Is it a 100k a year they pay on a lease that was meant to expire in 2018? They voted to give themselves a new lease though didn’t they
January 10, 2018 at 3:23 PM
Symonds is on the board according to The Age. Plus being head of MRC. Terrific governance all round.
January 9, 2018 at 5:47 PM
Council has been negligent in its management of issues related to drainage and stormwater. My guess is its silence is a deliberate risk mitigation strategy—not to reduce the extent of flooding, but to minimize awareness of how little it has done to deliver the “further strategic work” it identified 20 years ago as being needed.
We know we have aging infrastructure, including drains that weren’t designed with the impermeability modern apartment developments impose upon us in mind. In response Council removed Development Contribution Plan Overlays. My own experience of requesting Council improve conditions has been unhappy. First comes denial and obfuscation. Then “there is no money”. Followed by deferral: “will be considered in a future budget”.
January 9, 2018 at 9:22 PM
Glen Eira has its homework to do on planning and flooding, as well as finding a community members to go onto the Working Group.
The State Government released the Integrated Water Management Framework For Victoria September 2017.The Ministers Forward says ‘It provides a consistent process for collaborative integrated water management planning with clear roles and responsibilities to deliver effective urban water management, including water supply, wastewater, flood resilience, urban waterway health and management of public spaces. https://www.water.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/81544/DELWP-IWM-Framework-FINAL-FOR-WEB.pdf
Glen Eira is running out of places to hide on these matters, and Port Phillip Council is there now breathing down the Glen Eira’s tightly buttoned-up neck as they are baring the clean-up costs of the overdevelopment folly happening in Glen Eira. Mostly all Glen Eira is doing is building bigger and better drains to get more and more flood water to Port Phillip quicker and quicker.
Sadly so far, all involved have been ignoring the East Village development as an opportunity to get some flood mitigation practises into this project.
For just how long Melbourne Water and Panning Victoria can go on ignoring this is anyone guess.
January 10, 2018 at 1:48 PM
When it comes to forking out the money then we can wait forever for Melb water and council.
January 11, 2018 at 7:47 PM
t the East Village with the VPAV a member of the team said that since Virginia Park is currently covered with factories then we should not have any concens about any additional flooding which may occurr as a result of the planned site coverage.
This is extremely frightening as flooding occurs in that area already and the Elster Creek is a drain for 21 suburbs.
In certain conditions a wind from an unfavourable direction could prevent the Elster Creek from emptying into Port Phillip Bay if the water level rises by only 3 centimetres.