Parliament to sit in flood-affected area

By Max Stainkamph

May 4, 2023

On the move: The Victorian Legislative Council will sit in a flood-affected community in the next 12 months. Photo: AAP Photo by AAP Newswire

The Victorian upper house will hold at least one sitting in a northern Victorian community impacted by the floods in the next 12 months.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

The Legislative Council has previously sat in Bright in 2021, which was its first foray into regional areas in nine years.

Rochester, Seymour, Echuca and Shepparton are among the places that will be considered for a sitting of parliament.

State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell, who moved the motion in parliament in March, led debate on it this week, with the move passed unanimously.

The last time the council sat in a regional area, about 150 upper house members, staffers and more all made the trip to Bright, which was also suggested by Ms Lovell, to support bushfire recovery.

Ms Lovell said it was important to have the Victorian upper house make its way into regional areas.

“The regional sitting will be an effective way for members of the Legislative Council to hear directly from victims of the October 2022 floods on what further support is needed on the ground,” Ms Lovell said.

“A regional sitting of the council in a flood-affected local government area will also provide an economic boost for local communities as they recover and rebuild from the devastating flood event, and educational opportunities for schools and community members.”

By Max Stainkamph

Journalist