Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC325-4337 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services lead an urgent multi-agency (including but not limited to the Queensland Police Service and Brisbane City Council) review of the workflow, of the current Emergency Alert system, including requesting, composing, authorising and issuing of Emergency Alerts by 1 November 2022. |
REC325-4331 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services conduct annual exercises with every local disaster management group and district disaster management group to confirm the process for developing, approving and issuing of an Emergency Alert, including the use of pre-formatted polygons and messages. Upon completion of the initial statewide exercise, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services will furnish an exercise evaluation report to the Office of the Inspector-General of Emergency Management by 1 November 2023. |
REC325-4332 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that all local governments that do not have pre-formatted messages and polygons engage with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and determine whether their local disaster management group capability could be improved through the development of pre-formatted polygons and messages. |
REC325-4323 | 7 - Inter-agency communication | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services adopt measures to achieve a common operating picture between deployed Queensland Fire and Emergency Services assets in disaster management operations by 1 November 2023. |
REC325-4334 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services develop and publish an operationally based quick reference guide that complements the training offered (as per Recommendation 5) by 1 November 2022. The guide will identify key and critical aspects of the Emergency Alert system in relation to the development, composition, request for and authorising of Emergency Alerts and will include a template and an example of ‘good’ messaging using concise, minimal language and Clear Explicit Translatable Language (CETL). |
REC325-4324 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review the tasking protocols used to manage State Emergency Service (SES) tasks undertaken in the response phase of a disaster to enable more complete recording of details for all ‘jobs of opportunity’ (including the personal details of those assisted and/or rescued) to enable better coordination of tasks and reflect outcomes of activities by 1 November 2023. |
REC325-4332 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that all local governments that currently use pre-formatted messages within the Emergency Alert system review and, where necessary, redraft messages using the principles of Clear Explicit Translatable Language (CETL). |
REC325-4325 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review and implement State Emergency Service (SES) protocol by 1 November 2023 outlining procedures to be undertaken to ensure persons uplifted from places of immediate danger or risk are transferred to a place of safety. |
REC325-4336 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, in consultation with the Queensland Police Service, incorporate into the workflow of the current Emergency Alert system a process that ensures the inclusion of an ‘urgent approval and distribution without delay’ process for Emergency Alert messages by 1 November 2022. |
REC325-4329 | 8 - Communications and warnings | The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services implement the Australian Warning System for all nationally agreed hazards by 1 November 2023. Implementation should include guidance and training to all local governments and agencies operationally involved in disaster management, with emphasis on those agencies with hazard specific responsibility. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC311-2496 | 10 - Infrastructure | To enhance shared capacity and collaboratively manage risk, the Chair of the Bundaberg LDMG use the Queensland Emergency Risk Management Framework (QERMF) process to determine if dam failure for Paradise Dam should be reported as a residual risk to the Bundaberg DDMG in this instance due to known changes in the risk profile. |
REC311-2495 | 10 - Infrastructure | To increase understanding of hazards and manage risks, dam failure for Paradise Dam be included as a separate risk within the Bundaberg LDMP. |
REC311-2493 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | To increase shared understanding of risks and enhance capability integration and collaborative planning, both Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) participate in the exercising of the Paradise Dam Emergency Action Plan. |
REC311-2491 | 10 - Infrastructure | To enable a shared understanding of the risk, changes in the risk profile of referable dams be clearly communicated by entities that own dams to stakeholders and the community likely to be affected. The communication process starts immediately after the change is identified, is tailored to its audience, makes clear the scale of the change, and is documented so that stakeholders and the community can make informed decisions for managing risks. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC271-1533 | 14 - Incident Mgt Teams | State Disaster Coordination Centre considers requesting a representative from critical infrastructure owners be present as a liaison officer in the State Disaster Coordination Centre during activations for events that may impact on their assets. |
REC271-1525 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The Department of Energy and Water Supply, in conjunction with SunWater, seek clarification of the dam owners’ legal obligation to comply with Emergency Action Plans and, if required, investigate how a more flexible approach may be adopted. |
REC271-1532 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The evacuation sub-plan component of the Local Disaster Managment Plan should be reviewed, including any identified triggers for activation. Ideally, the plan should be tested in a live, multi-agency exercise prior to next summer. |
REC271-1531 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Banana Shire Council completes business continuity planning as a matter of priority, including documentation and testing of the plan. |
REC271-1529 | 8 - Communications and warnings | As part of the above, both the Banana Shire Council and SunWater ensure Emergency Alert messages are pre-formatted, consistent, polygons are identified according to risk, and that they are tested and practiced with the State Disaster Coordination Centre. |
REC271-1528 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Prior to September 2015, SunWater and the Banana Shire Council jointly develop a multi-channel, common warning strategy, including common language and consistent messaging, for residents downstream of |
REC271-1527 | 8 - Communications and warnings | Prior to September 2015, the Banana Shire Council develops a multi-channel warning strategy and associated public information campaign, including common language and consistent messaging, for the Banana Shire. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC210-0749 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should amend the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 to designate the Minister as the person who must approve a flood mitigation manual. |
REC210-0686 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | SunWater and the Central Highlands Regional Council should determine the issues of ownership and responsibility for maintenance of the LN1 drain system in Emerald. |
REC210-0701 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | Letters notifying policy-holders that their claims have been denied should, at a minimum, state the information upon which the insurer has relied in making the decision. These letters should also advise policy-holders that copies of the information will be made available upon request (in accordance with clause 3.4.3 of the General Insurance Code of Practice) and indicate how policy-holders can make a request. |
REC210-0758 | 10 - Infrastructure | CS Energy should put in place contingency measures to ensure email and telephone communications at Wivenhoe Power Station are not entirely dependent on a network located off-site. |
REC210-0717 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Environmental Protection Act 1994 to provide a definition of the term ‘emergency’ for the purposes of section 468 of that Act. |
REC210-0747 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | Seqwater should ensure a legal review of the Wivenhoe manual and the North Pine manual is completed before the manual is submitted for approval. |
REC210-0681 | 19 - Offences | Councils and distributor-retailers should agree to protocols for the exchange of information about suspected illegal connections, the steps being taken to investigate them or the basis for concluding that no investigation is required, and the results of any investigations or enforcement actions. |
REC210-0700 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | Insurers should review their existing systems and processes and implement any improvements necessary to ensure that accurate and complete records of conversations with policy-holders are made. |
REC210-0757 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The protocol should make provision for the use of telephone and/or radio where communication by email is not possible. Where necessary, CS Energy and Seqwater should make additional radio equipment available to relevant personnel. |
REC210-0699 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | When a policy-holder makes a claim, the insurer should ascertain the policy-holder’s preferred method of contact and ensure that it is used (with other modes of communication if necessary) to keep the policyholder informed about the progress of the claim. However, important decisions regarding the claim – for example, determinations about the outcome of the claim and settlement sums – should always be confirmed in writing. |
REC210-0714 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Environmental Protection Act 1994 so that it allows for the relaxation of environmental authority conditions, by transitional environmental program or otherwise, as to discharge of water: • pre-emptively, in advance of rainfall or flooding events, or • for all mines in a catchment that is flooding. |
REC210-0770 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should legislate to oblige each owner of a referable dam to have an emergency action plan approved by the appropriate Queensland Government agency. Such plans should be reviewed periodically |
REC210-0735 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The Crime and Misconduct Commission should investigate whether the conduct of Mr Tibaldi, Mr Ayre and Mr Malone relating to: • preparation of documents surrounding the January 2011 flood event, including the 17 January 2011 brief to the Minister, the 2 March 2011 flood event report, and statements provided to the Commission • oral testimony given to the Commission evidences offence/s against the Criminal Code, and/or official misconduct under the Crime and Misconduct Act 2001 committed by any, or all, of them. |
REC210-0756 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | CS Energy and Seqwater should agree upon and adhere to a formal communication protocol that requires CS Energy personnel to advise Seqwater, through the Flood Operations Centre, of water movements between Splityard Creek Dam and Wivenhoe Dam or Pryde Creek once a flood event is declared under the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam. The protocol should ensure that a direct line of communication is established between CS Energy personnel physically located at the power station and the Flood Operations Centre. |
REC210-0695 | 10 - Infrastructure | The Queensland Government should consider implementing mandatory requirements to ensure that all conduits for the purpose of providing electrical supply below the applicable defined flood level are sealed to prevent floodwaters from entering them or flowing into them. |
REC210-0712 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should legislate to clarify the purposes for which a transitional environmental program can be granted. In particular, if the government considers the transitional environmental program the appropriate regulatory mechanism to deal with the discharge of water from mines during flood, section 330 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 should be clarified to make it clear that it extends to that use. |
REC210-0761 | 2 - Emergency powers | The Queensland Government should consider whether to empower Seqwater, through the flood operations centre, to direct CS Energy to stop or delay releases from Splityard Creek Dam where a flood event is declared under the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam. |
REC210-0733 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Emergency Management Queensland should pursue the execution of the ‘Local Arrangements’ with councils where a Memorandum of Agreement is in place. The contents of the arrangements should be reviewed and updated regularly |
REC210-0754 | 2 - Emergency powers | As part of the longer term review of the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam the Queensland Government should consider whether the dam operators should be able to extend the drawdown of the lake beyond seven days in order to reduce downstream bank slumping |
REC210-0693 | 10 - Infrastructure | Electricity distributors should consider installing connection points for generators to provide electricity supply to non-flooded areas that have had their supply cut during floods. |
REC210-0703 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The Insurance Council of Australia should amend clause 3.4.3 of the General Insurance Code of Practice so that it requires insurers to inform policy-holders of their right to request a review of an insurer’s decision to refuse to provide access to information on which it relied in assessing claims. |
REC210-0760 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | CS Energy should amend its business procedure to remove any ambiguity as to the establishment of communications with Seqwater and to acknowledge the formal communications protocol regarding releases. |
REC210-0727 | 2 - Emergency powers | The Disaster Management Act 2003 should be amended to give the chief executive of the department administering the Act (or his or her delegate) the authority to appoint an officer of Emergency Management Queensland to direct SES operations in extraordinary circumstances |
REC210-0750 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The assessment of flood mitigation manuals should be completed by a person with appropriate expertise who has had no involvement in its development, at any stage, and who can be seen to be independent of all individuals who were so involved. |
REC210-0692 | 10 - Infrastructure | The Queensland Government should consider measures to ensure that requirements are included in the designation of land for community infrastructure under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to ensure that critical infrastructure for operating works under the Electricity Act is built to remain operational during and immediately after a flood of a particular magnitude. That magnitude should be determined by an appropriate risk assessment. |
REC210-0702 | 6 - Insurance and legal liability | The Insurance Council of Australia should consider an amendment to Part 3 of the code which requires insurers to notify policy-holders of the information on which they relied in assessing claims. |
REC210-0759 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | CS Energy should review its emergency action plan and business procedures to ensure they are wholly consistent and give appropriate consideration to flooding as a possible emergency event. |
REC210-0719 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Queensland Government should amend the Environmental Protection Act 1994 so as to permit an emergency direction to be given orally where it is not practicable to provide the direction in writing, with provision for its subsequent confirmation in writing |