Provincial government in Australia won't help homeowners on eroding beachfronts

Lauren Novak in Adelaide Now (Australia): Property owners in areas predicted to be affected by a rising sea level are unlikely to receive much help from the State Government if water threatens their homes. South Australia does not have a "retire and retreat" policy to deal with existing buildings in areas where water levels are expected to rise through global warming.

Following calls for more details, a spokesman for Planning Minister Paul Holloway said the Government was defending existing developments with rock walls, flood mitigation strategies and sand replenishment. "Owners of houses also should be aware of the potential for sea-level rise and should take necessary measures," he said.

…."If serious sea-level rise occurs, it's going to be astronomically expensive to keep the seas at bay," he said. "Eventually, we're going to have to make some hard decisions about what areas we might need to let go." Mr Parnell called on the Government to consider compensation, insurance, property acquisition and relocation.

"Rather than wait until coastal properties become uninsurable, the Government needs to set out its policy," he said. "Will taxpayers' funds be used to defend private property from sea-level rise? If so, for how long?"…

End of Point Grey and the section bank mudflats separating Barker Inlet and Port River, Adelaide, South Australia. Port River in the foreground. Point Grey. Shot by Peripitus,under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 Wikimedia Commons,