The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review and update the State Disaster Risk Report, including re-evaluating the risk of flooding by all types. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services should publish the updated State Disaster Risk Report by 1 November 2023.  

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.

The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services establish a community education program by 1 November 2023 that complements the implementation of the Australian Warning System. An evaluation process should be incorporated into the program to determine effectiveness.

The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review the Queensland Emergency Alert Manual – M.1.174 in its entirety by 1 November 2023. The manual should specifically address the authorising environment, legislative obligations and the capability and complexities of the Emergency Alert system.

The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends this report be returned to the Office of the Inspector-General of Emergency Management to monitor, evaluate, and report on progress and implementation of the recommendations that are accepted in whole or in part by government.  

The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review the Queensland Emergency Alert Manual – M.1.174 in its entirety by 1 November 2023. The manual should specifically address the authorising environment, legislative obligations and the capability and complexities of the Emergency Alert system.

The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends the Dam Safety Regulator review the Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline with particular regard to the distinction between the process required by a flood event as compared to a dam failure event by 1 November 2023. The Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline review will be informed by a discussion, facilitated by the Dam Safety Regulator, between dam owner Seqwater, the Brisbane City Council Flood Information Centre, the Brisbane Local Disaster Management Group and the Brisbane District Disaster Management Group. The purpose of the facilitation is to achieve inter-agency understanding of warning and notification responsibilities.  The reviewed Emergency Action Plan for Referable Dam Guideline should be published, promoted and shared via a stakeholder engagement exercise with Queensland’s referable dam owners, disaster management stakeholders including local disaster management groups and district disaster management group.

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).  

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.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services consider expanding specialist Remote Area Firefighting Team capability to assist in responding to significant bushfire events which occur in rugged or inaccessible terrain.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the arrangements and requirements for situational reporting when an incident is under the control of the Department of Environment and Science be detailed in the Queensland Bushfire Plan. These arrangements should also be outlined in relevant joint entity agreements and operational doctrine.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends that the Queensland Government works with the Commonwealth Government to review the Project Agreement for World Heritage Management to ensure Queensland and Australia continue to meet their obligations under the World Heritage Convention to protect, conserve and present our World Heritage properties.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Department of Environment and Science monitor the progress of relevant improvement activities resulting from the K’gari (Fraser Island) Bushfire Review, through their respective lessons management programs.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Interagency Protocol for Fire Management be reviewed by all relevant entities, including representatives of the Butchulla people, and be updated as a matter of priority. Entities responsible for the protocol should implement a process for regular review and evaluation of its effectiveness. This review process should be conducted after a major bushfire event, or to reflect any material change to applicable legislation and policy. It should also consider pre-arranged approvals and a range of agreed fiscal protocols between the agencies.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science develop and implement a Wildfire Response Plan for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Coastal and Islands Region, to be included in the region’s Disaster Management Operations Plan.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends a set of guiding principles that reflect a unified response to World Heritage listed sites in Queensland be included in the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan and reflected in the Queensland Bushfire Plan.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Department of Environment and Science implement an awareness and engagement strategy aimed at deterring the lighting of campfires to encourage behavioural change amongst visitors.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends a collaborative review of firelines, tracks and trails on K’gari be undertaken by the Department of Environment and Science, in collaboration with the Locality Specific Area Fire Management Group and the Butchulla people, to ensure an adequate network is agreed by relevant stakeholders, and roles and responsibilities for maintenance are agreed and documented.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science ensure that all Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service regions develop a Disaster Management Operations Plan based on a standardised format. The plans should include provision for annual review to ensure they remain contemporary, interoperable with relevant disaster management plans and aligned to the Department of Environment and Science Emergency Management Plan.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plan for Fraser Coast Area Fire Management Group include a schedule of planned engagement activities, or a community engagement sub-plan outlining these activities, and be publicly available.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends all Area Fire Management Groups in Queensland make their Bushfire Risk Mitigation Plans, bushfire risk mapping and methodology easily understood and available to the community. All public plans should be dated to ensure currency and incorporate mechanisms for community feedback.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends entities with responsibilities for land and fire management consider the establishment of roles for Traditional Owner and First Nations representatives in incident management structures for significant bushfire or disaster events including those that may impact on cultural heritage in Queensland’s World Heritage sites.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Department of Environment and Science review the current description of Level 1, 2, and 3 bushfire incidents and the implied meaning of property in the Queensland Bushfire Plan. This review should identify and agree on clear criteria and decision points for the transfer of control and develop a standard process and templates.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends this report be returned to the IGEM to monitor, evaluate and report on progress and implementation of the recommendations that are accepted in whole or in part by government.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services regularly review and evaluate the effectiveness of the Queensland Bushfire Plan with land managers and stakeholders, including disaster management groups. A review should occur in line with any material change to the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan, the Disaster Management Act 2003, the Prevention Preparedness Response and Recovery Guideline, or after major bushfire events, to ensure appropriate alignment and currency.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the next review of the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan examines and provides guidance in respect to the application of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements to support hazard specific events such as bushfire.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review its suite of operational doctrine to ensure arrangements for situational reporting and requests for assistance are aligned to recognised multi-agency practices used in disaster management.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan and the Queensland Bushfire Plan be reviewed to enhance appropriate arrangements for the management of bushfire and disaster events where a threat is posed to significant environmental and cultural heritage sites.

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends should a Queensland Government Action Plan be considered, clarity about the intent of the recommendations be sought from the Inspector-General Emergency Management to assist in informing this process.

The chairpersons of disaster management groups within the Townsville Disaster District, supported by the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority develop a district action plan based on the capability enhancement strategy. 

To enable the community to have a shared understanding of risks and enhance community engagement, flood scenarios in Emergency Action Plans be published, and in a format that can be utilised by public mapping systems. 

To enable the casual/itinerant worker and tourism sector, including those who do not have English as a first language, to make informed choices about disaster management, community engagement and communication strategies about Paradise Dam and floods in the Burnett river system be tailored to this sector. 

To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, Sunwater develop and deliver a sustainable long-term communication strategy on the community safety issues and
risk profile connected with Paradise Dam. This is to be:
- undertaken in collaboration with local and district disaster management groups, and
- continued until the risk profile of the dam is in accordance with Queensland guidelines for dam safety
- evaluated for its effectiveness. 

To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, a joint Sunwater/council community engagement program be conducted to prepare the community downstream from Paradise Dam for events in the 2019/2020 storm and cyclone season, including the possibility of a Paradise Dam failure. 

To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, Bundaberg and North Burnett regional councils and Sunwater undertake a community-informed audible test of the Paradise Dam siren. 

This report be returned to the InspectorGeneral Emergency Management to monitor, evaluate and report on progress and implementation of the recommendation(s) that are accepted in whole or in part by government. 

To increase shared understanding of risks, enable coordinated plans and collaboratively engage with downstream community members, residents listed within a dam EAP be identified by the Local Government Area (LGA) they reside in. 

To enable entities in the sector to proactively work to achieve better results for the community, the recommendations and lessons of this review should be evaluated through the lessons management processes of entities involved in dam safety for their value and relevance. 

State arrangements for on-the-ground support to recovering local governments should be in line with Queensland’s disaster management arrangements, and ensure the best balance between local relationships, suitable capability and sufficient capacity.

09-Community education/engagement/preparedness

Practical guidance on what community-led recovery means, and how it can be best implemented should be captured and shared with all who have responsibility for it. This should be done to help individuals and communities to take the lead in recovery and so that community-led recovery becomes the norm following disasters and other events.

Greater clarity about responsibilities for recovery at the community, local, and district levels should be considered in any future review of the Disaster Management Act (2003).

Councils should formalise arrangements with entities that have the skills, capability and capacity to effectively manage spontaneous volunteers. These should be documented and integrated into planning and exercising.

The progress of recovery for this event be reviewed incrementally over the next 2 to 3 years, with a formal, independent report provided on the effectiveness of the recovery after 3 years.

The Department of Housing and Public Works should be included within Local Disaster Management Group evacuation centre planning and plans and assist with decision making around the relocation of evacuees from evacuation centres.

Councils, with the support of stakeholders, continue to develop and promote local disaster dashboards as the ‘point of truth’ for community information and messaging during disaster events. Greater use during recovery should be considered. 

A single point of truth be established for accurately capturing and reporting on disaster management group activation levels for any given timeframe. 

Further work be undertaken to develop effective public flood risk messaging and community education materials that are easy to understand and tested with the community to ensure flood risk is understood. 

A strategy should be developed between the key tourism and transport operators, and local and state government. It should address the arrival of visitors and tourists after a disaster, and should ensure that their arrival matches communities’ needs for recovery and return to normal business. The Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games should monitor its implementation.

A Local Government Association of Queensland representative should be included on the Crisis Communications Network to enhance the delivery of consistent information across and between levels of government.

The Queensland Offers of Assistance Policy, particularly for corporate donations, should be updated and exercised prior to the next season. 

Business continuity planning should feature permanently in disaster management doctrine.

Queensland should implement and maintain a system-wide lesson management program.

Education on bushfires should include information about: 
- the change in climate resulting in higher level of bushfire risk
- local bushfire risk, possible consequences, and preventative and preparedness actions for the community
- the purpose of bushfire mitigation activities (to reduce, not stop bushfire)
- the need, types and purposes for planned burning
- intersects between different legislation and their regulations and exemptions
 the importance of a shared approach to bushfire mitigation
All agencies with education material should share it freely. Material should be appropriately authorised for use in Queensland.

Targeted education about the short- and long-term effects of chemical suppressants should reach those likely to be exposed to them before aerial chemical suppressants are used in Queensland again.

A good neighbour policy such as that of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, setting out clear expectations, be developed to guide all landholders.

Given an increasing risk of intense fires, the framework of legislation relating to vegetation management, bushfire mitigation and preparation priorities should be re-assessed. The re-assessment should aim to enable more appropriate and flexible means at the local level for the reduction of intense fires.

Clear public messaging regarding risks (if any) from the use of suppressants, including to 'organic' producers, should be developed and socialised before the next fire season and be readily available for dissemination when needed.

Wherever possible, the antecedents that will lead to catastrophic fire weather conditions existing for a particular area should be identified and documented within fire management plan relevant to the area.  

To make planned burning and land clearing easier to understand and implement for landholders, a single point of contact for all bushfire mitigation inquiries and permits should be established.

Planning for response to bushfire risk should identify all stakeholders to be engaged in the response phase and their roles and responsibilities should be clearly documented.

Queensland's plans and arrangements for heatwave should be reviewed to provide for an intergrated multi-agency approach to their management. A single agency should lead and oversee this process.

Legislation at state and local level requiring landholders to reduce fire risk on their property should be actively applied

Hazard-specific plans and guidelines should be published on external websites for access by relevant stakeholders.

Area Fire Management Groups should share seasonal risk information with local groups and actively and appropriately contribute to disaster management planning.

Hazard-specific and disaster management guidelines and plans should explain the circumstances and process for hazard-specific activation of the disaster management arrangements in support of an incident. They should be relevant to local authorities and local and district groups, and used during events. 

All Area Fire Management Groups should adopt and be guided by a good neighbour policy.

Accordingly I recommend that the Federal Minister for Transport, consider engaging an external consultant to assess whether high level intervention is warranted. 

I recommend that CASA consider creating firm guidelines that require consideration of workload, lines of authority, potential conflicts of interest and any other factors that impact upon the ability of “key personnel” to discharge their responsibilities within an aviation organisation when its officers are approving appointments to those positions.