IN what could prove to be a costly solution to climate change Greens Senator for Victoria Steph Hodgins and Gippsland Greens candidate Mat Morgan have called on the State Labor Government to look at the cost of lifting coastal homes out of flood zones.
The Greens want urgent action on a resilient home scheme for coastal communities to protect parts of regional Victoria that are at high risk of coastal flooding and inundation.
According to Cr Morgan a resilient homes scheme would help cover the costs of retro-fitting, house lifting, renovations, and in some instances relocations and buybacks as compensation for homes at greater risk of floods.
Senator Hodgins said similar schemes were already in place in New South Wales and Queensland with over 250,000 homes or 8.7 per cent of Victorian homes at risk.
In a report released by the Climate Council of Australia the total dollar value foregone due to flood risk in Victoria has been estimated at being in excess of $5.6 billion.
“The climate crisis is here in regional areas like Inverloch,” said Senator Hodgins.
“The Labor Party is missing in action by failing to listen to the climate science.”
Cr Morgan described Inverloch as the front line.
“There’s no buyback scheme here for houses,” Cr Morgan said.
With climate disasters increasing in frequency and continuing to devastate coastal communities across Victoria The Greens say the State Government must ensure Victorians aren’t continuing to bear the costs of decades of government inaction.
“We’re already in a housing crisis, and the increasing frequency and intensity of climate-driven disasters is only going to make this worse, as more and more homes become uninsurable and uninhabitable,” said Cr Morgan.
“People should not be footing the bill when their houses fall into the sea.”
Cr Mat Morgan warned sea levels could rise by as much as one metre in his lifetime.
When questioned by The Sentinel Times on the apparent hypocrisy of local councils including Bass Coast Shire approving planning applications in flood inundation zones Cr Morgan said as a Greens candidate he would take the fight to Spring Street.
“Councils have had their planning powers restricted,” he said.
“I have to abide by the Council Planning Scheme.”
Cr Morgan called for leadership at a national level but refused to be drawn on the exact cost of lifting houses as part of The Greens resilient homes scheme.
“Millions of dollars of infrastructure is at risk,” said Cr Morgan.
“We’re facing a housing crisis that has been made much worse by the Federal Government’s lack of action. The resilient homes program needs to be adopted but it hasn’t been costed.”
“The resilient homes scheme doesn’t talk about retreat, it’s about lifting homes to make sure they’re not washed into the sea, lifting houses is part of the program.”
Senator Hodgins said the cost of taking no action is too great to consider.
