Floodplains, planning, privatisation and energy

City Limits

This week, City Limits is joined by community activist from Melbourne's west Helen van den Berg, and climate researcher, activist and author David Spratt. Helen takes us through the ecology, history and policy surrounding the Maribyrnong river and adjacent developments which have contributed to destruction by recent flooding. She talks to us about groundwater, natural floodplains, poor planning, sell-offs and more. Later, David joins us to talk all things energy, from global energy trends related to the Ukraine war, thoughts about last night's budget in regards to climate change and inflation, and the privatisation of Victoria's electricity generators, retailers and grid. Explaining, in his words, how privatisation led to the artificial division of our grid, and what that means for us.