Mira Mar landslip: Deputy Opposition Leader Peter Rundle to ask parliamentary questions about compensation

Deputy Opposition Leader Peter Rundle has vowed to continue advocating for residents and landowners affected by the Mira Mar landslip to be fairly compensated in State Parliament.

Mr Rundle made the commitment after talking to those affected during a visit to the site of the landslip near Sleeman Avenue on Friday, and a day after the release of a geotechnical report of the site.

The Nationals MP said while he welcomed the release of the report this week, he now wanted to ”welcome some action to go with it”.

I heard the minister hasn’t formed a view as to who is responsible. Well, the one thing’s for sure is that those landholders are not responsible

“I would like to see the State Government and local government swing into action quickly to provide immediate short-term solutions so that we can retain those three houses at the bottom of the slope,” he said.

“And then we’ve obviously got to see a discussion over the winter about what the future land use is going to be: is it going to be, as per the report, public open space, or is it going to be residential?

“Then, what those solutions are going to be in terms of remediation.”

The report was an “exercise in understanding the geological nature” of the affected hill, according to Regional Development Minister Don Punch, and did not make an effort to establish if there was an incident that triggered the initial landslide event in mid-2021.

The release of the report also came with a commitment from Mr Punch that short-term remediation works to install a temporary drainage system would be carried out following consultation with property owners.

Mr Rundle said he would be asking questions about how landowners and residents might be compensated.

“I will be investigating during parliamentary estimates and through parliamentary questions where the Government sits on this and who is going to take responsibility, and the timetable,” he said.

“I heard the minister hasn’t formed a view as to who is responsible. Well, the one thing’s for sure is that those landholders are not responsible.”

He said the State Government should “do the right thing” given its strong financial position following consecutive budget surpluses.

“This is the ideal opportunity for the State Government to actually come to the party and actually do the right thing by these landholders,” he said.