In a rare development, the Federal Opposition has come out to support a new Federal Government policy - the creation of a National Flood Warning Network.

The Labor Government recently announced national flood warning network will be set up in an attempt better protect at-risk communities from natural disasters. 

It will spend $236 million in the next decade to set up the network and centered largely around installing more and upgrading flood gauges working with local, state, and territory governments. 

It will also outlay an additional $8.6m to improve the ability of emergency teams to respond in the wake of disaster. 

The investment follows advice from independent inquiries set up following last year's devastating flood season that described the system as patchwork. 

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the upgrade to the network would give more accurate information on flood risks to communities as well as emergency services. 

"A lot of those older gauges are really near the end of their life. They can't be read remotely, which is a real problem. We need to be able to read them remotely, particularly in dangerous times," she said. 

"The better the flood gauges, the more warning we can give to communities and to emergency services personnel about approaching floodwaters, the more opportunity people have to prepare for the worst." 

Of the flood gauges in the current network, one-third are owned and managed by the Bureau of Meteorology, while the remainder is split between state and territory governments as well as local councils or individuals. 

Many were outdated and still required manual reading, putting lives at risk, Plibersek said. 

But the real surprise of this - was the support and public statement put out by the Federal Nationals. 

The Nats said the system was a "welcome step" in protecting at-risk communities from natural disasters.  

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Shadow Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Perin Davey, said she had long advocated for upgrading the flood gauge network.  

"The initiative to purchase and upgrade flood gauges from local, state, and territory governments will significantly improve our ability to monitor and respond to flood risks across the country," Senator Davey said.  

Senator Davey did say she was concerned that the Government may be too slow in setting up the system. 

"With Labor governments across the country, there is no excuse for delay in the rollout. Every year these communities are left waiting, we will see more preventable deaths and property damage.    

"I am concerned the Government intends to spend a decade or more acquiring and improving various state systems across the country in order to build up the network 

Meanwhile a group of academics who have researched the area of flood warnings extensively: Mel Taylor and Fiona Miller at Macquarie University, and Kay Haynes at the University of Wollongong, have also welcomed the initiative but said their research showed flood warning systems don't always work. 

They said their research for Natural Hazards Research Australia indicated people don't always pay attention to flood warning systems even when they work correctly. 

"Some people will leave when warned, but others, due to a range of social and economic factors, are either unable to leave or choose to stay. That's why we need social support alongside warning systems," the report authors said. 

"Why did people stay? It wasn't for lack of timely warnings, for the most part. 

"For some, staying was the plan. Many had stayed in previous floods and had been safe. Others stayed to lift up their belongings, protect against looting and start the clean-up quickly after the waters receded. Some stayed to look after less mobile dependants, care for pets and livestock, or because they had nowhere else to go".