E-Petition

The Petition of residents of the State of Queensland draws to the attention of the House serious concerns regarding the governance and operations of the City of Moreton Bay Council (CMBC), especially around ensuring some residents do not divert and block water flows away from their properties, causing potential flooding of their neighbours or near neighbours. 

Your petitioners are concerned that some residents are:

• removing existing fences and replacing them with dam-like fences that would block natural water flow through their property, diverting the water flow to others’ properties;
• constructing garden beds and retaining walls, and using other methods, that divert water away from natural flows or stormwater easements and towards others’ properties; and
• filling up stormwater easements and blocking downstream flow from other properties.

Your petitioners are also concerned that:

• flaws in flood mapping of some areas, and removing flood maps for some areas for re-assessment and not replacing them in a reasonable time, may be putting potential buyers at risk and preventing timely appeals;
• overland flows from council drains sometimes do not appear to be marked on flood maps and may cause some residents to inadvertently cause problems for others; and
• some forms of remedial action required by council may be insufficient to prevent ongoing issues.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to call upon the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Ann Leahy MP, to cause an investigation into CMBC’s handling of flood mapping, overland flows and enforcement of structures that potentially divert, concentrate or block runoff to and from others’ properties.