IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

Inspector-General Emergency Management

Planning for hazard mitigation Debbie has had significant impact on the economy. Rockhampton’s hazard mitigation projects have been successful in reducing Debbie’s flood impact on the town.

Themes

Other projects in Central Queensland to upgrade previously damaged infrastructure to a more resilient standard also proved beneficial. 89

The Queensland Betterment Fund

The Queensland Betterment Fund is jointly funded by Queensland and Australian governments under Category D of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements for extraordinary disaster assistance. Betterment projects principally comprise works to increase the resilience of roads, culverts and floodways damaged as a result of repeated natural disasters. More resilient infrastructure allows communities to stay connected and recover quicker after a flood. It ensures roads and bridges can stay open, water treatment plants and sewerage infrastructure can keep operating, and businesses, including primary producers, who rely on vital transport routes, can stay on track. Following damage from Tropical Cyclone Oswald in 2013 and Tropical Cyclone Marcia in 2015, 295 Betterment projects have been approved, with an estimated Betterment cost of almost $100 million. Prior to Debbie in March 2017, 49 of the 63 approved 2015 Betterment projects in the areas impacted were already complete.

Of these completed projects, 40 have been confirmed as sustaining no damage with nine sustaining some minor damage. 90

Building infrastructure back better is one effective mitigation strategy. Effective land use planning is another. Although not directly connected with Debbie, we heard from interviews during the State Disaster Management Plan review that there is scope to better integrate the disaster management sector with those at both local and state level involved in land use planning. The amount of property damage from Debbie emphasises the importance of getting this right in future planning. We heard that better guidance from the disaster management sector was needed.

We note that Queensland is already developing good practice here. The recently completed Brisbane River Flood Studies and the emerging Brisbane River Strategic Floodplain Management Plan are examples. The Plan will provide a coordinated and consistent approach throughout the floodplain for land use planning, building controls, disaster management, community resilience and prioritisation of flood-related infrastructure. More importantly, it may serve as a benchmark for others.

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The Cyclone Debbie Review

Lessons for delivering value and confidence through trust and empowerment