Thank you for all the support, comments, emails and encouragement over the last 9 months. We are just about to achieve our 3,000 signature milestone on change.org alongside www.maribyrnongfloods.com being the 3rd ranked google search result.
Even when we feel broken and exhausted from our ongoing challenges with rebuilding, navigating insurance (still) and living in the post-traumatic psychology of having survived the worst disaster in Metropolitan Melbourne in 50 years (besides Covid) we know a good outcome takes guts and persistence and is only possible with the support of signatories like yourselves, so again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
What we have achieved together so far is the commencement of two formal processes; Melbourne Water review, Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry. However the most critical oversight from organisations in the ecosystem has been the lack of conversation or engagement in a multi-agency review.
It goes without saying that the biggest failure in this disaster is that mitigation was not built following both the 1974 flood and the 1986 MMBW comprehensive recommendation to build Arundel retarding basin.
Aside from this, the systematic failures leading up to October 14th are a tangled web of individuals hiding behind ‘operating procedures’ and bureaucracies to rationalise that they ‘did their best’, lacking awareness that sound judgement was not exercised; i.e., why is the computer showing a flat-lining rain gauge when Darraweit Guim is under water, instead they reduced the flood risk rating, leading to residents having mere minutes to grab a backpack and leave with the clothes on their backs.
The image in the banner is taken from Melbourne Waters own submission to their own inquiry, and perfectly illustrates and necessity to hold all involved to account, together. The system is bigger than any one of us, let’s hope these reviews sort it out.
Whilst we wait for parliamentary submissions to be uploaded to see how many represent Maribyrnong we want to send thanks to everyone who spent hours capturing their stories, documenting their experiences and sharing the impact this flood has had on their lives.
This petition, the website, the inquiries and our push for mitigation is something we’re doing for future generations.
As Thomas Edison said “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up”