Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC324-4303 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | Risk-based approach to calculating flood planning: That, to take account of greater knowledge of climate change, Government reinforce its adoption of a risk-based approach to calculating the flood planning level for planning purposes and, through the NSWRA, immediately start a process of revising all flood planning level calculations in the state’s high-risk catchments. Flood planning level re-determinations for all high-risk catchments should be completed within 3 years. These revised flood planning levels will need to be factored into all development applications (in-progress and new) in those high-risk catchments. The risk profile of high-risk catchments should be revisited at appropriate time intervals to check that levels are current. A review should take place if there has been a significant trigger event (i.e. changed rainfall, development) or at least every 5 years. As well as reviewing the flood planning level, this 5-yearly review should include reviewing any floodplain lease conditions and adjusting them as necessary in the light of better knowledge of climate change impacts. In working out a tolerable, risk-based flood planning level, consideration should be given to the PMF, 1% AEP, 0.02% AEP, existing development, approved but not yet constructed developments, and existing and approved but not yet constructed evacuation routes. |
REC324-4294 | 34 - Local knowledge | Environment: That, to maximise protection for the environment in and around floodplains, Government, working with local communities especially Indigenous communities, the NSWRA, other agencies and local councils ensure Indigenous voices are well heard in land use planning and natural resource management by: |
REC324-4304 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Landholders can access information on previous disasters: That, to ensure there is a single source of ground truth to prepare for and respond to emergencies, and to provide people with a better understanding of their individual property and community risk exposure, an online visualisation tool be developed to display, for all land parcels (land titles) in NSW, the extent of known disasters that have affected each piece of land in NSW in the past. This information should be made available through the Planning Portal and, particularly in light of climate change, the data involved should be revised and updated at least every two years and after each major natural disaster. |
REC324-4296 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Caravan parks and manufactured home estates: That, to ensure that permanent residents of caravan parks and mobile housing estates are protected from flood, Government: • prohibit permanent residency in caravan parks and mobile housing estates situated below the risk-based flood planning level. Caravan parks for holiday makers could still be on the floodplain with the provision that, if a flood is imminent, they need to be evacuated • address the issues raised in the 2015 Discussion Paper (Improving the regulation of manufactured homes, caravan parks, manufactured home estates and camping grounds). |
REC324-4305 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | Cost benefit framework:That, to enable a more systematic prioritisation of investment options in risk mitigation before, during and immediately following a natural disaster event, Government adopt and utilise a Disaster Cost Benefit Framework. This Framework will enable Government to estimate the investment required for any given disaster, starting with flood events, and will enable the fast allocation of funding based on detailed and rapid analysis of flood and property modification, mitigation, preparation, response and finance related options including: |
REC324-4297 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Housing , especially social housing: That, to ease housing stress in flood prone areas and ensure new development is resilient and community-centred, Government pursue a multi-pronged, decadal strategy through: |
REC324-4310 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | Task Force Hawk: That, to ensure disaster readiness, Government establish a high-level Government standing committee, Task Force ‘Hawk’, comprising key Cabinet Ministers, Secretaries and Commissioners that meets, trains and exercises to ensure Government is prepared to respond to any emergency. Task Force ‘Hawk’ should resonate with the community in difficult times to ensure the highest level of confidence in Government’s response. |
REC324-4299 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Relocating communities most at risk with good homes and amenities: That, to empower vulnerable people and communities to relocate, Government through the NSWRA: |
REC324-4311 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Transition initiatives: That, to improve the community’s experience during immediate disaster recovery phase, Government through the SEOCON, NSWRA, DCS/Service NSW and other state agencies as required provide greater support (financial, health [including mental health], temporary accommodation, administrative and other support services) to affected communities by: |
REC324-4300 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Simplify the planning system disaster provisions: That, to simplify and improve the state planning processes especially when anticipating and recovering from a disaster, Government: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC323-4290 | 20 - Role of police | That the NSW Government embed into its emergency plans the appointment of a senior police officer with combat experience to lead recovery efforts following natural disasters. |
REC323-4262 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the NSW Government provide an increased level of targeted support to flood affected communities contending with widespread mould. |
REC323-4271 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That Service NSW establish teams of assessors that can be on the ground to assess and approve grant applications. |
REC323-4264 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government work in partnership with key Aboriginal stakeholders, including the Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council, to prioritise the rebuild of Cabbage Tree Island, and ensure a safe and resourced evacuation plan is in place. |
REC323-4273 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the NSW Government overhaul the way in which it conducts its grants process as it frustrated applicants and further traumatised them by repeatedly re-interviewing them and making them prove that they were flooded. |
REC323-4265 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government work with First Nations peoples to support Aboriginal organisations in their capacity to operate and respond in times of natural disasters. |
REC323-4275 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government, in partnership with community groups, including First Nations groups, develop initiatives to build community resilience, particularly in regions at high risk of future natural disaster events. |
REC323-4266 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government review the provision of temporary and long term housing options provided to those affected by the February-March 2022 floods, with a view to: • ensuring a range of options are identified and embedded within emergency and recovery plans, so that solutions can be implemented as soon as possible after a natural disaster • ensuring that housing options meet individual and community needs • removing planning impediments that prevent those from accessing more safe and secure housing in times of crisis. |
REC323-4287 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW State Emergency Service, in partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology, investigate ways in which local communities and local media with local knowledge can play a stronger role in flood predictions and warnings. |
REC323-4257 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government work with local government, industry and sustainable planning experts, including the Government Architect, on policy initiatives in the New South Wales planning system that will help deliver more resilient and sustainable homes, buildings and places. |
REC323-4276 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Government ensure that community groups, both existing and emerging, including First Nations groups, are well integrated into disaster recovery, by incorporating them into state recovery plans and engaging with them in between and in the lead up to natural disasters. |
REC323-4267 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government consider investing in supporting relocations, land swaps and providing fair and adequate compensation for landowners who wish to relocate from severely flood-impacted areas. |
REC323-4289 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the NSW Government ensure that all emergency and recovery plans, including state plans, local emergency management plans and functional area plans, are reviewed and updated regularly and provide clarity on the role of non-government partners. |
REC323-4258 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the NSW Government significantly increase its investment in flood mitigation and preparation, including its support of local governments to do the same, by: • increasing ongoing, long term funding and access to technical guidance and assistance for local councils • ensuring that land-use planning and development takes a risk-based approach. |
REC323-4277 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the NSW Government develop a more proactive, rapid response to manage animal welfare following natural disasters which includes improved collaboration and communication with local veterinarians and animal welfare organisations. |
REC323-4269 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the NSW Government address the mental health needs of local communities following the February-March 2022 floods by: • embedding within state emergency and recovery plans a strategy that provides surge capacity for mental health and social workers by: • prioritising funding for community groups that are currently providing social and mental health support to their local communities • ensuring all flood-impacted communities receive the mental health support they need to fully recover. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC322-4250 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Locality Specific Fire Management Group for K’gari meet at least twice per year, in person or virtually. |
REC322-4223 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science implements the proposed treatments for fire identified in the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service K’gari Compliance Strategy. |
REC322-4251 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services facilitate an annual state level exercise of the Queensland Bushfire Plan that includes all relevant stakeholders and land managers. The exercise should focus on roles, responsibilities, interagency arrangements and handover arrangements between agencies and land managers. |
REC322-4227 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the membership of the K’gari Locality Specific Fire Management Group be expanded to include representatives of the Butchulla people, community associations from each township and tourism and business operators with interests on the island. |
REC322-4230 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends Queensland Fire and Emergency Services engages with land managers and other stakeholders on K’gari to source data to inform Predictive Services products. |
REC322-4242 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science review the format and delivery of Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service annual fire refresher training to include a scenario-based exercise. |
REC322-4248 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the prescribed burn program for K’gari be developed by the Department of Environment and Science, in collaboration with the Locality Specific Fire Management Group and the Butchulla people, based on the principles of the National Position on Prescribed Burning. This program should incorporate a process for monitoring and evaluation of outcomes and integration of evolving fire management practices. |
REC322-4222 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Department of Environment and Science undertake a review of campfire locations on K’gari, including all relevant signage on and off the island, maps and visitor permit information, to promote a consistent message about lighting campfires on K’gari. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC315-3825 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That Government, acknowledging that a strategic approach to planning for bush fire will take time, and in order to protect, prepare and build resilience into existing communities better, should immediately: |
REC315-3851 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, to ensure mobile generators are sourced and distributed on a priority basis during natural disasters, the EUSFAC work with the NSW Telco Authority, relevant NSW government agencies and commercial stakeholders to develop a mobile asset deployment strategy. The strategy should reduce duplication in purchasing, maintaining and housing mobile generators and improve agility in deployment. |
REC315-3824 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That Government commit to shifting to a strategic approach to planning for bush fire, and develop a new NSW Bush Fire Policy similar to the NSW Flood Prone Land Policy in order to accommodate changing climate conditions and the increasing likelihood of catastrophic bush fire conditions; to build greater resilience into both existing and future communities; and to decrease costs associated with recovery and rebuilding. |
REC315-3830 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That as a matter of urgency, in order to accelerate and finalise a State-wide strategic fire trail network, the NSW RFS Commissioner and Bush Fire Coordinating Committee (BFCC): |
REC315-3821 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That government agencies managing land (at all levels and through all agencies) be the best neighbours possible by considering their neighbours when undertaking activities related to bush fire preparation and having clear, two-way communication about these activities, with the aspiration that government landholders will be seen as highly desirable neighbours. |
REC315-3829 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That, in order to ensure outcomes-based roadside vegetation management to reduce roadside tree fall and grass ignitions in planning and preparing for bush fire, Transport for NSW, working with local government and NSW RFS, establish a consistent framework for roadside vegetation management that analyses road priority, utility, amenity, strategic value and risk. The framework should: |
REC315-3817 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Government, noting that hazard reduction targeted in proximity to assets is on balance more likely to provide help than hinder, should: |
REC315-3827 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, in order to minimise communication outages and extend basic communication coverage during bush fires, the NSW Government work directly, or together with other Australian governments and/or their relevant power and telecommunications regulatory, policy and market bodies, to: |
REC315-3868 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That, in order to ensure people only need to tell their story once to access government agency support following an emergency, Resilience NSW and Service NSW jointly design an inclusive, person-centred approach to information collection at evacuation centres. This should be supported by an opt-in scheme enabling personal information to be shared between NSW government agencies, local councils and non-governmental organisations administering support services for disaster-affected people. |
REC315-3816 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Government re-commit to the current, regionally based approach to planning and coordinating hazard reduction activities across all tenures through Bush Fire Management Committees but ensure that it is actually being implemented at a high-level of quality across NSW. Getting it to a high-level of quality requires: |
REC315-3826 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, in order to maximise the protection of critical infrastructure in a bush fire, Australian governments revise the regulatory framework for the provision to government authorities of information about all critical infrastructure (public and private) including a possible change to compel the owners of critical assets to provide all needed metadata, updated annually, for appropriate planning, preparation and response for bush fire. This would include information about location, ownership, access, details of service the infrastructure supports, and fire treatments of building and surrounding zones. |
REC315-3856 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, in order to improve response times to Triple Zero calls, the NSW RFS implements the integrated dispatch system before the 2020-21 fire season commences. |
REC315-3808 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That, in order to strengthen the capability of local councils in future emergency events: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC311-2492 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | To increase understanding of hazards and manage risks, dam failure for Paradise Dam be included as a separate risk within the North Burnett Local Disaster Management Plan (LDMP). |
REC311-2497 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | To increase shared understanding of risks, ensure the coordination of plans and manage risks, dam failure for Paradise Dam be included as a separate risk within the Bundaberg District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP). |
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. |
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. |
REC311-2490 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | To enable entities to have a shared understanding of forecast information for dam failure events during a flood, including flood wave travel time, speed and height, Emergency Action Plans contain protocols and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders for these aspects. |
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. |
REC311-2494 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | 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. |
REC311-2499 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | To ensure enhanced capability integration and enable timely community messaging Bundaberg LDMG in consultation with Sunwater develop additional Emergency Alerts and associated polygons for a Paradise Dam failure and load these on to the disaster management portal. |
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. |
REC311-2498 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | To enhance shared capacity and collaboratively manage risk, the Chair of the Bundaberg DDMG use the QERMF process to determine if dam failure for Paradise Dam should be reported as a residual risk in this instance due to known changes in the risk profile to: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC310-2484 | 33 - Relief and recovery | There remains a need to maximise the effect of all offers of assistance to recovering communities. This recommendation presents an opportunity to resolve any outstanding aspects of Recommendation 4 and Actions in Response from the Cyclone Debbie Review Action Plan: |
REC310-2481 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | 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). |
REC310-2488 | 33 - Relief and recovery | The basic capacity needs of each functional recovery group and how this can be scaled up should be identified. Plans for functional recovery groups should reflect this in clear statements for every level of the system, for all relevant entities about their required function, role and responsibilities during recovery. |
REC310-2487 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | The state’s arrangements for disaster management, including recovery, are articulated in the Disaster Management Act (2003), the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Act (2011), the State Disaster Management Plan and the Queensland Recovery Plan. To enable state-level arrangements to better support community-led recovery and to improve Queensland’s recovery governance |
REC310-2485 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Recovery plans at all levels should include transition arrangements. They should be implemented during recovery. The arrangements should: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC309-2468 | 33 - Relief and recovery | State Government agencies with key roles and responsibilities around disaster recovery provide increased support in the development of recovery at the local level (pre-event). |
REC309-2480 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | 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. |
REC309-2479 | 34 - Local knowledge | Local groups should plan for and establish clear arrangements to effectively manage offers of assistance including the management of goods, services and volunteers. |
REC309-2473 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | 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. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC308-2452 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | Planning and warnings for storm tide should be based on modelling that shows the chances of an event occurring (probabilistic). |
REC308-2466 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | Exercising should focus on vertical integration and include all levels of the system. A strategic program of exercises should be developed and implemented. |
REC308-2458 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | A strategy should be developed to improve the availability of information to decision-makers and other audiences. Information should be searchable, more specific, timely, and allow stake-holders to find what they want. |
REC308-2456 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | 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. |
REC308-2454 | 10 - Infrastructure | Local disaster management groups should focus on the business continuity of local critical infrastructure and its integration with other plans. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC307-2444 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | All disaster management groups should run an exercise that has full involvement of a hazard-specific primary agency in the next 12 months and regularly thereafter. |
REC307-2436 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | The outputs of these capabilities should be shared and actively inform the disaster management sector, including response operations and the creation of warnings and public messaging. |
REC307-2428 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | The future risk of bushfires to Queensland communities should be re-evaluated as part of the 2020 State Risk Assessment in light of recent and emerging science, events and lessons. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC306-2424 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | We recommend that the four councils develop floodplain management plans in accordance with Recommendation 2.12 of the Final Report of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC281-1204 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Transition from Response to Recovery That the Office of Emergency Management, in consultation with the NSW Police Force Emergency Management Unit develops a template for handover of the Response to Recovery Phase of an emergency. |
REC281-1203 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Impact Assessment Data Sharing The Office of Emergency Management: · with the SEOCON, jointly provides further guidance to Regional Emergency Management Officers about their role in facilitating local council access to the Impact Assessment Data Base · with REMOs and the SEOCON jointly provides further information to local councils about Impact Assessment Data Sharing Arrangements and the data available through this mechanism · includes information about the Impact Assessment Data Sharing Arrangements in the Local Recovery Toolkit · develops a mechanism to allow local councils to have direct access to the collated impact data. |
REC281-1207 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Communicating in Recovery: The Office of Emergency Management: · considers the development of a communications and engagement strategy for major disaster events · progresses the development of the ‘Communicating In Recovery’ Guideline in the Local Recovery Toolkit. |
REC281-1206 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Transition from Response to Recovery: That Region Emergency Management Committees meet post event to: · consider available impact data · determine the need to establish a Recovery Committee · document the rationale for the decision · advise the Office of Emergency Management of the decision. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC280-1377 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones. |
REC280-1385 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks. |
REC280-1376 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate. |
REC280-1383 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government improve the protection of media and telecommunications towers around New South Wales by: |
REC280-1375 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Government commit to and fund a long term program of prescribed burning based on the recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of an annual rolling target of a minimum of five per cent of public land per year, and that the NSW Government commit to extending the funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service five year hazard reduction program past 2016. |
REC280-1382 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
REC280-1399 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service remove from its boundary fencing policy and standard contract the condition that requires adjoining land owners to maintain a fence that has been damaged by trees falling from national park land. |
REC280-1381 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC280-1398 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: |
REC280-1378 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: -improve accountability in relation to the implementation of bush fire risk management plans as a means of delivering more hazard reduction. |
REC280-1386 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC272-1419 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Opportunities should be identified through the Local Government Association of Queensland council to council arrangement to share structural engineers to assess potential places of refuge against the Department of Housing and Public Works’ structure classification criteria. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC268-1423 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The State Disaster Coordination Centre Notification Matrix is reviewed to ensure local governments are notified of any event affecting, or likely to affect, their local government area. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC267-1156 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Streamlining NDRRA Grants Processes |
REC267-1155 | 33 - Relief and recovery | MP Recovery Reference Group |
REC267-1163 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Corrections Volunteer Labour Teams |
REC267-1153 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Planning for Access to Potentially Isolated Communities |
REC267-1162 | 10 - Infrastructure | Telecommunications and Power Infrastructure |
REC267-1148 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Planning for Recovery Centres Recovery Centres are a proven means of providing support to affected communities. More comprehensive recovery planning is needed at local levels, including the identification of potential Recovery Centre sites in Local EM Plans to help facilitate streamlined establishment of the Centres in future events. Consideration should be given to developing a clear set of standard messaging regarding |
REC267-1161 | 33 - Relief and recovery | VIP Visits |
REC267-1160 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Transition from Response to Recovery |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC261-1493 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate. |
REC261-1500 | 10 - Infrastructure | That the NSW Government improve the protection of media and telecommunications towers around New South Wales by: |
REC261-1515 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: |
REC261-1499 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
REC261-1514 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service adopt an interim fencing agreement in the immediate aftermath of a fire. This will enable emergency and interim works to commence, but features such as length, fencing components and site of the fence line are not binding. A final fencing agreement would be negotiated no earlier than six months following a major national park fire. |
REC261-1498 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC261-1509 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in order to ensure greater respect for volunteer fire fighters’ knowledge and experience in the management of fires: |
REC261-1495 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: |
REC261-1503 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
REC261-1494 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones. |
REC261-1502 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks. |
REC261-1520 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services urgently review its policies for the provision of disaster welfare services to ensure that in the event of a bush fire emergency and the declaration of a fire under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act 1997, adequate funding and services, especially recovery centres and mental health services, are provided for an adequate length of time, with gradual transition to normal service delivery when those services are no longer required. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC260-1070 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The NPWS conduct a review of its prescribed burns program to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that all necessary managerial approvals for a prescribed burn are provided as promptly as possible. |
REC260-1063 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the National Parks and Wildlife Service consider reviewing its guidelines and protocols in respect of hazard reduction planning and burning-off operations in the light of the evidence from experts witnesses in these proceedings that the incidence of, and intensity of, major fires is increasing and in the light of expert evidence given in these proceedings concerning the dangers of vorticity-driven lateral spread. |
REC260-1055 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the Rural Fire Service together with other land managers develop a program whereby local stakeholders come together regularly (every 2 months during non-fire season and monthly during the fire season) to share intelligence and to consider hazard and incident management measures for implementation. |
REC260-1071 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The NPWS to consider developing a land management policy that requires hazard reduction around identified assets within the Park and the clearing of fire trials within the Park before the bush fire season commences. Consideration should also be given to developing additional fire trails in the Park, bearing in mind the lack of available fire trails to the south of the John Renshaw Parkway in the park. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC259-1046 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That prior to the commencement of any major clean-up, firm policy be established and made known to the extent to which material removal will be the responsibility of the home owner, the Council or the State led recovery effort. |
REC259-1043 | 33 - Relief and recovery | That a single victim registration form be designed, which captures all relevant details required for use by any support agency both in the Response Phase at Evacuation centres and during the Recovery Phase. That such documents when completed form part of a wider database which can be accessed by all relevant agencies |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC241-1000 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the provisions of the Vegetation Management Act 1999 should be clarified to ensure that effective and accessible firebreaks or fire control lines are established in order that assets can be protected. The decision on the construction of these firebreaks and fire control lines is to be made by the landowner in conjunctions with the local Rural Fire Brigade or Fire Warden |
REC241-0992 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That District Inspectors be responsible for consultation with Fire Wardens during the development of District fire management plans. |
REC241-0998 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That Rural Fire Service Queensland instigates a hazard mitigation operational period, (E.G. Operation Cold Burn), at suitable times each year as appropriate by area. |
REC241-0991 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That annual planning be undertaken at each level that addresses hazard actions across all disaster management phases (ie: prevention, preparation, response and recovery), with a focus on vegetation and land management. This planning is to be consistent with the hazard- specific planning envisaged under the Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements and be supported by guidelines to be developed and issued by Rural Fire Service Queensland. District plans are to be approved by the Director- General or equivalent for the Department of Community Safety and will inform a State Wildfire Management Plan to be approved by the State Disaster Management Group. |
REC241-0997 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the electronic fire permit system used in the Mackay District be made available across the state for Fire Wardens who wish to use it. |
REC241-0968 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a Mitigation Officer position be created to assist the District offices and District Fire Management Groups (refer to Recommendations 40 to 46) in developing their fire management plans and to ensure mitigation work is being conducted. |
REC241-0996 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Section 66 (2) of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990 relating to the exemption for issuing of permits to burn in State Forests, National Parks and Reserves is withdrawn and Departments must work within the District Fire Management Plan. |
REC241-0995 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | At the next reprint of the ‘Permit to Light Fire’ book, the requirement to notify neighbours when applying for a permit is reinstated to properly reflect the requirement under the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990. |
REC241-0994 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the Rural Fire Service Queensland needs to provide greater emphasis and acknowledgement of the use of fire as a tool in sustainable land management. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC239-2748 | 20 - Role of police | That the Queensland Police Service considers adopting the broader use of ANPR in line with other Australian jurisdictions in consultation with the Privacy Commissioner. |
REC239-2781 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the current provisions enabling there to be a Ministerial Direction be maintained and actioned as the Minister sees fit. |
REC239-2691 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the Commissioners of Police and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service review the current district disaster boundaries as a matter of urgency in-line with the findings and recommendations of the Auditor–General’s report into the Queensland disaster management system. |
REC239-2747 | 20 - Role of police | That as the Queensland Police Service moves to a digital platform the strategy around effective targeting and alternative automated number plate recognition models should form part of the design architecture. |
REC239-2774 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | Those final determinations of disaster management districts include consultation with the Local Government Association Queensland, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and other Government departments. |
REC239-2689 | 20 - Role of police | That, where appropriate, the Commissioner of Police appoints appropriately trained and experienced public service officers to appropriate roles in the disaster management system to support District Disaster Coordinators in their vital roles. |
REC239-2726 | 20 - Role of police | That the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service enters into discussion with the Queensland Police Service regarding the possibility for the Queensland Police Service to assist with prosecutions that may arise out of fire safety matters. |
REC239-2757 | 20 - Role of police | That the Queensland Police Service executive team reassesses its preparedness to collaborate with other agencies to deliver a whole of Government approach to delivering community safety. |
REC239-2688 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That in establishing new disaster districts, the first guiding principle must be to align with local government boundaries and that divergence should only occur when there is a need to address a unique local circumstance. |
REC239-2723 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service examine alternative contractual arrangements with building owners which would reduce the need for physical attendance at alarm activations. |
REC239-2752 | 20 - Role of police | That the roll-out of the Queensland Police Service digital technology should take into consideration adopting and facilitating new processes including the police response to domestic violence. |
REC239-2711 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the Inspector General Emergency Management be empowered to provide an assurance to Government that the disaster management system is both appropriate and capable of dealing with complex events. |
REC239-2750 | 20 - Role of police | That the Queensland Police Service: |
REC239-2692 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the Queensland Police Service Disaster Management Unit is to be permanently located at the State Disaster Coordination Centre to work on a day to day basis with the proposed new Department of Fire and Emergency Services. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC238-0801 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Establish a dedicated group or body within an existing agency to provide a more integrated, coordinated and regional approach to land use, infrastructure and evacuation planning and flood modelling in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. |
REC238-0815 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Provide improved land use planning tools for managing flood prone land. |
REC238-0800 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Improve regional transport infrastructure to address current and projected flood evacuation capacity constraints and timelines. |
REC238-0814 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Develop a NSW Planning Policy and Guideline to improve land use planning practices on flood prone land. |
REC238-0808 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Ensure future road infrastructure planning considers flood evacuation requirements throughout the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain. |
REC238-0806 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Review the adequacy of current arrangements for infrastructure reconstruction following a major flood event in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. |
REC238-0805 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Develop a Hawkesbury-Nepean Flood Recovery Plan, which identifies strategies and arrangement for recovery from severe floods in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. |
REC238-0816 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Ensure appropriate consideration of flood risk in regional and subregional planning |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC237-0825 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Rural Fire Service hold discussions with the Department of Planning and Infrastructure and Local Government NSW on ways to improve compliance with development consents under section 76A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC210-0675 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider including in the criteria in the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code a requirement that the risk of leakage from private on-site sewerage systems during floods be minimised. |
REC210-0625 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should change Temporary State Planning Policy 2/11: Planning for stronger more resilient floodplains to remove the possibility of councils’ using the interim floodplain assessment overlay mapping and Model Code as part of a permanent amendment to their existing planning scheme or as part of a new planning scheme. |
REC210-0641 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require community infrastructure (including the types of community infrastructure which are identified in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 and which the community needs to continue functioning, notwithstanding flood) to be located and designed to function effectively during and immediately after a flood of a specified level of risk. |
REC210-0657 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Levees should be regulated. |
REC210-0685 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | In assessing and determining development applications for material change of use in areas susceptible to flood, councils should consider whether the new developments locate essential services infrastructure above basement level, or, alternatively, whether essential services infrastructure located at basement level can be constructed so that it can continue to function during a flood. |
REC210-0608 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Elected representatives from all agencies involved in a flood study should be informed of recommendations made for future work, and determine, on a risk basis, whether that further work is to be completed. |
REC210-0630 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include a requirement for such an overlay map in the model flood planning controls, councils should include a flood overlay map in their planning schemes. The map should identify the areas of a council region: • that are known not to be affected by flood • that are affected by flood and on which councils impose planning controls (there may be subsets in each area to which different planning controls attach) • for which there is no flood information available to council. |
REC210-0646 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should amend the template assessment report used to assess applications for a material change of use for environmentally relevant activities so that it prompts departmental officers to give specific consideration, as part of the assessment process, to the risk of flooding at the site where the activity is proposed to occur. |
REC210-0662 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that address: • the prospect of isolation or hindered evacuation • the impact of isolation or hindered evacuation. |
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. |
REC210-0616 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils that do not currently do so should consider offering an online database which allows the public to conduct a search on a parcel of land to find development approvals relevant to that parcel of land. |
REC210-0635 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to expressly provide either a power to remake or a power to extend a temporary local planning instrument containing interim flood regulation for a further limited period. The power to remake or extend should: a. permit the modification of the temporary local planning instrument to the extent required to ensure its provisions remain relevant, having regard to any requirement that may have been introduced or any information that may have become available while the original temporary local planning instrument was in force b. be contingent on the Minister’s being satisfied that the circumstances listed in section 105 of the Sustainable Planning Act continue to exist and that there are proper grounds for the failure to make a permanent scheme amendment while the original temporary local planning instrument was in force. |
REC210-0651 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | When approving applications for development which involve the manufacture or storage of hazardous materials, councils should not restrict the conditions imposed to ones which are solely reliant on human intervention to remove the materials in the event of flood. |
REC210-0669 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils should take care when imposing conditions to ensure that each condition has purpose; standardised conditions should not be included where they have no application to the development in question. |
REC210-0674 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the ‘Limitation’ section of the proposed new part of the Queensland Development Code, Mandatory Part 3.5 ‘Construction of buildings in flood hazard areas’, to allow for the possible application of ‘acceptable solution A1’ to a building located on a lot if: • it is reasonable to expect the part of the lot on which the building work is proposed to be subjected to a maximum velocity of less than 1.5 metres per second, or • the part of the lot on which the building work is proposed is located in an inactive flow or backwater area. |
REC210-0698 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils should consider implementing a property buy-back program in areas that are particularly vulnerable to regular flooding, as part of a broader floodplain management strategy, where possible obtaining funding from the Natural Disaster Resilience Program for this purpose. |
REC210-0624 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should ensure that the circumstances in which the Department of Community Safety is to consult the Department of Environment and Resource Management about a planning scheme’s flood modelling and flood mapping are clear. |
REC210-0640 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require community infrastructure (including the types of community infrastructure which are identified in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 and which the community needs to continue functioning, notwithstanding flood) to be located and designed to function effectively during and immediately after a flood of a specified level of risk. |
REC210-0656 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 so that operational work or plumbing or drainage work (including maintenance and repair work) carried out by or on behalf of a public sector entity authorised under a state law to carry out the work is not exempt development under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 if the development has the potential to reduce floodplain storage. |
REC210-0684 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils should consider amending their planning schemes to include provisions directed to consideration of the flood resilience of basements as a factor in determining the appropriateness of a material change of use. |
REC210-0607 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Elected representatives from councils should be informed of the results of each flood study relevant to the council’s region, and consider the ramifications of the study for land planning and emergency management. |
REC210-0629 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should include in the model flood planning controls a requirement that councils have a flood overlay map in their planning schemes. The map should identify the areas of the council region: • that are known not to be affected by flood • that are affected by flood and on which councils impose planning controls (there may be subsets in each area to which different planning controls attach) • for which there is no flood information available to council. |
REC210-0645 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should amend its information sheet about applications for a material change of use for environmentally relevant activities so that applicants are prompted to include information (if any) about the risk of flooding at the site where the activity is proposed to occur. |
REC210-0661 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | There should be a common set of considerations in the decision whether to approve an application to build a levee, including: • the impacts of the proposed levee on the catchment as a whole • the benefits of the proposed levee to the individual or entity applying to build the levee and to any nearby community as a whole • any adverse impacts on other landholders, including the risk of levee failure • the implications of the proposed levee for land planning and emergency management procedures • whether any structural, land planning or emergency management measures can be taken to mitigate the adverse impacts of the proposed levee. |
REC210-0691 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require critical infrastructure in assessable substation developments 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. |
REC210-0613 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils should ensure that areas for which there has been no assessment of the likelihood of flooding are indicated on a map and that, as part of the development assessment process for these, there is at least some enquiry into whether a site proposed for development could be subject to flooding. |
REC210-0634 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | If the Queensland Government does not include such a policy in the model flood planning controls, councils should include in their planning schemes a planning scheme policy that: • for development proposed on land susceptible to flooding, outlines what additional information an applicant should provide to the assessment manager as a part of the development application, or • for development proposed on land where potential for flooding is unknown requires an applicant to provide: – as part of the development application, information to enable an assessment of whether the subject land is susceptible to flooding, and – upon a determination the subject land is susceptible to flooding, more detailed information to allow an assessment of the flood risk. |
REC210-0650 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require that: a. the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) take place above a certain flood level, determined following an appropriate risk based assessment, or b. structures on land susceptible to flooding and used for the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) be designed to prevent the intrusion of floodwaters |
REC210-0668 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils should review their assessment processes to ensure that: • the person with primary responsibility for the assessment of the development application considers what expert input is required • where a development application is subject to comment by a number of professionals, the responsibilities and accountability of each contributor are clear • where flood-related information is referred to an expert for advice, the expert is required to comment on the extent of compliance by reference to each relevant assessment criteria and identify and explain any inability to comment. |
REC210-0673 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The proposed new part of the Queensland Development Code, Mandatory Part 3.5 ‘Construction of buildings in flood hazard areas’, should be amended so that the performance requirements about utilities and sanitary drains (Performance Requirement P2 and P3) for building on a lot will only be triggered where the council has: • designated part of its area as a natural hazard management area (flood) under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, and • either: – declared a height to be the expected flood level under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, or – adopted a highest recorded flood level for the lot. |
REC210-0697 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Queensland Rail and QR National should continue to investigate opportunities for increasing the flood resilience of their networks, including raising the height of critical equipment. |
REC210-0769 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Toowoomba Regional Council and the Department of Environment and Resource Management should continue to co-operate to assess the referable dam status of existing detention basins and any future detention basins constructed in the West Creek and East Creek catchment areas. |
REC210-0623 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Community Safety should put in place administrative arrangements which ensure it can readily ascertain whether its comments are being reflected in council planning schemes. If the Department of Community Safety becomes aware that its comments are not being adequately addressed, it should take steps to follow this up with the Department of Local Government and Planning. |
REC210-0639 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider extending the application of a state planning policy dealing with flood to the types of community infrastructure which are identified in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 and which the community needs to continue functioning, notwithstanding flood. |
REC210-0655 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should consider including assessment criteria in their planning schemes which require that works in a floodplain: • do not reduce on-site flood storage capacity • counteract any changes the works will cause to flood behaviour of all floods up to and including the acceptable defined flood event by measures taken within the subject site (for example, use of compensatory works, detention basins or other engineering mechanisms), and • do not change the flood characteristics outside the subject site in ways that result in: – loss of flood storage – loss of/changes to flow paths – acceleration or retardation of flows, or – any reduction in flood warning times elsewhere on the floodplain. |
REC210-0682 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should review the Queensland Urban Drainage Manual to determine whether it requires updating or improvement, in particular, to reflect the current law and to take into account insights gained from the 2010/2011 floods. |
REC210-0605 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | As far as is practicable, councils should maintain up-to-date flood information |
REC210-0628 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft model flood planning controls, using a similar format and structure to that in the Queensland Planning Provisions, that councils can adapt for local conditions. The Queensland Government should require these controls to be reflected in new planning schemes. This may be achieved by including the controls in either: • a state planning policy dealing with flood, with an accompanying amendment to the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, or • the Queensland Planning Provisions. The Queensland Government should consult councils to determine which of the two state planning instruments is the more appropriate to include the model flood planning controls. |
REC210-0644 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should ensure that the criteria under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 that apply to the assessment of development applications for material change of use for environmentally relevant activities include consideration of the risk of flooding at the site on which the activity is proposed to occur. |
REC210-0660 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | There should be a consistent process for the determination of applications to build levees. That process should include: • consulting landholders who may be affected by the proposed levee • obtaining or commissioning appropriate hydrological and hydraulic studies to assess the impacts of the proposed levee. |
REC210-0690 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require critical infrastructure in assessable substation developments 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. |
REC210-0612 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | For non-urban areas or areas where limited development is expected to occur councils should consider, on a risk basis, what level of information about flood risk is required for the area, and undertake the highest ranked of the following options which is appropriate to that need and within the capacities (financial and technical) of the council: a. a map showing ‘zones of risk’ (at least three) derived from information about the likelihood and behaviour of flooding b. a map showing the extent of floods of a range of likelihoods (at least three) c. a flood map based on historic flood levels that have been subjected to a flood frequency analysis to estimate the annual exceedance probability of the selected historical flood d. a historic flood map without flood frequency analysis e. the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Interim Floodplain Assessment Overlay as a way to determine those areas for which further flood studies are required, or f. the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Interim Floodplain Assessment Overlay (preferably refined using local flood information) as a trigger for development assessment. |
REC210-0633 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should include in the model flood planning controls a model planning scheme policy that: • for development proposed on land susceptible to flooding, outlines what additional information an applicant should provide to the assessment manager as part of the development application, or • for development proposed on land where the potential for flooding is unknown, requires an applicant to provide: – as part of the development application, information to enable an assessment of whether the subject land is susceptible to flooding, and – upon a determination the subject land is susceptible to flooding, more detailed information, to allow an assessment of the flood risk. |
REC210-0649 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require that: a. the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) take place above a certain flood level, determined following an appropriate risk based assessment, or b. structures on land susceptible to flooding and used for the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) be designed to prevent the intrusion of floodwaters. |
REC210-0667 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include such a policy in the model flood planning controls, councils should include a planning scheme policy in their planning schemes that sets out the information to be provided in development applications in relation to stormwater and flooding. The policy should specify: • the type of models and maps to be provided • the substantive information required to be shown in the development application • how the assumptions and methodologies used in preparing the models and maps should be presented • the form in which the information on stormwater and flooding is to be presented in the application. |
REC210-0672 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The proposed new part of the Queensland Development Code, Mandatory Part 3.5 ‘Construction of buildings in flood hazard areas’, should be amended so that the performance requirement relating to building design and construction (Performance Requirement P1) for building on a lot will only be triggered where the council has: • designated part of its area as a natural hazard management area (flood) under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, and • either: – declared a height to be the expected flood level under section 13 of the Building Regulation 2006, or – adopted a highest recorded flood level for the lot, and • either: – declared a velocity to be the expected maximum velocity of flood water for the area in which the lot is located, or – designated the area in which the lot is located an inactive flow or backwater area. |
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. |
REC210-0768 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Toowoomba Regional Council should engage external consultants to carry out failure impact assessments on the detention basins along East Creek. |
REC210-0622 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | If, as part of a state interest review process, the Department of Local Government and Planning decides that no condition should be imposed requiring a council’s proposed planning scheme to incorporate the effect of the Department of Community Safety’s comments about State Planning Policy 1/03: Mitigating the Adverse Impacts of Flood, Bushfire and Landslide, it should advise the Department of Community Safety of the reasons for its decision. |
REC210-0638 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Coordinator-General should amend the guideline for preparing an ‘initial advice statement’ for a significant project under the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 so that it specifically requires an applicant to consider and provide information about the project’s flood risk. |
REC210-0654 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider drafting assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls which require that works in a floodplain: • do not reduce on-site flood storage capacity • counteract any changes the works will cause to flood behaviour of all floods up to and including the applicable defined flood event by measures taken within the subject site (for example, use of compensatory works, detention basins or other engineering mechanisms) • do not change the flood characteristics outside the subject site in ways that result in: – loss of flood storage – loss of/changes to flow paths – acceleration or retardation of flows, or – any reduction in flood warning times elsewhere on the floodplain. |
REC210-0677 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Authorities responsible for the management of sewerage infrastructure should conduct a review of their existing infrastructure to identify electrical infrastructure that may be vulnerable to inundation and perform risk and cost/benefit assessments to determine if it should be relocated to a higher level. |
REC210-0627 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 to require that consideration be given to the risk of flooding in the preparation or revision of a regional plan. |
REC210-0643 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require the impact of flood on commercial property to be minimised. |
REC210-0659 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consult with councils to formulate a definition of ‘levee’ to identify what should be regulated. |
REC210-0688 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | All councils should periodically conduct risk assessments to identify areas at risk of backflow flooding. In respect of such areas, councils should consider how such risks can be lessened, including in that process consideration of the installation of backflow prevention devices. Backflow devices should not, however, be installed unless and until a full risk based assessment has been undertaken. |
REC210-0611 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | For urban areas or areas where development is expected to occur: a. councils with the requisite resources should develop a flood map which shows ‘zones of risk’ (at least three) derived from information about the likelihood and behaviour of flooding b. councils without the requisite resources to produce a flood behaviour map should develop a flood map which shows the extent of floods of a range of likelihoods (at least three). |
REC210-0632 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include such a code in the model flood planning controls, councils should include in their planning schemes a flood overlay code that consolidates assessment criteria relating to flood. |
REC210-0648 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils should ensure that, when applications for environmentally relevant activities are approved by a council, the details of those activities, including their nature and location, are provided to the Department of Environment and Resource Management. |
REC210-0666 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft a model planning scheme policy to be included in the model flood planning controls that sets out the information to be provided in development applications in relation to stormwater and flooding. The policy should specify: • the type of models and maps to be provided • the substantive information required to be shown in the development application • how the assumptions and methodologies used in preparing the models and maps should be presented • the form in which the information on stormwater and flooding is to be presented in the application. |
REC210-0671 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils should consider providing advice to development applicants during pre-lodgement meetings, and at the time of receiving a development application, about the way in which the development will be assessed for flood risk and what flood information council will be relying on to make this assessment. |
REC210-0694 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider whether there should be a legislative requirement that customer dedicated assets be built at or above the applicable defined flood level and if so, the Queensland Government should consider which legislation should contain such a requirement. |
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. |
REC210-0621 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should: a. narrow the definition of ‘development commitment’ in State Planning Policy 1/03: Mitigating the Adverse Impacts of Flood, Bushfire and Landslide to ensure more development applications are assessed for compatibility with flood, and b. investigate whether the compensation provisions of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 act as a deterrent to the inclusion of flood controls in a planning scheme and consider whether they ought be amended. |
REC210-0637 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider amending the Urban Land Development Authority Act 2007, the South Bank Corporation Act 1989, the State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 insofar as it governs state development areas, and other legislation which establishes alternative planning systems that operate independently of the Sustainable Planning Act 2009, to require that: • any planning scheme, interim or otherwise, appropriately reflects any state planning policy with respect to flood • flood risk be considered in the assessment of any development application. |
REC210-0653 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils (particularly Brisbane City Council) should consider including in their planning schemes more stringent standards for the design and construction of prescribed tidal work than those in the code for development applications for prescribed tidal work in the Coastal Protection and Management Regulation 2003. |
REC210-0676 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Authorities responsible for the construction of sewerage infrastructure should, when embarking on new works, undertake risk and cost/benefit assessments to determine the level at which electrical infrastructure that may be vulnerable to inundation should be placed. |
REC210-0626 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Councils should consider using the limited development (constrained land) zone in their planning schemes for areas that have a very high flood risk. |
REC210-0642 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should draft assessment criteria to be included in the model flood planning controls that require the impact of flood on commercial property to be minimised. |
REC210-0658 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consult with councils to determine an effective method for the regulation of the construction of levees in Queensland. In particular, the Queensland Government should consider: • requiring a development permit for the construction of a levee by designating levees as assessable development in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009, or • requiring, by way of a state planning policy or mandatory provision in the Queensland Planning Provisions, that councils nominate the construction of a levee as assessable development in their planning schemes. |
REC210-0687 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The Bundaberg Regional Council should investigate the adequacy of the drain and take reasonable steps to ensure the Moore Park area is effectively served. |
REC210-0610 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils in floodplain areas should, resources allowing, develop comprehensive floodplain management plans that accord as closely as practicable with best practice principles. |
REC210-0631 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should include in the model flood planning controls a model flood overlay code that consolidates assessment criteria relating to flood. |
REC210-0647 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Department of Environment and Resource Management should ensure that, when applications for a material change of use for an environmentally relevant activity are approved by the department, the details of those activities, including their nature and location, are provided to the council within whose area the activity will be conducted. |
REC210-0663 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should consider including assessment criteria in their planning schemes that address: • the prospect of isolation or hindered evacuation • the impact of isolation or hindered evacuation. |
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. |
REC210-0617 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider implementing a mechanism by which prospective purchasers of property are alerted to the issue of flood risk. To that end, the Queensland Government should consider consulting the Real Estate Institute of Queensland and the Law Society of Queensland as to the appropriateness of amending standard contract conditions so as to include a ‘subject to flood search’ condition, or other means of achieving the same objective. |
REC210-0636 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should consider allowing councils to amend a planning scheme to update existing flood mapping information by way of the minor amendment process, provided that adequate public consultation has occurred. |
REC210-0652 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Queensland Government should review the code for development applications for prescribed tidal work in the Coastal Protection and Management Regulation 2003 to consider whether the design and construction standards should be made more stringent than the existing standards. |
REC210-0670 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Councils should not rely on a condition requiring an evacuation plan as the sole basis for approving a development susceptible to flooding. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC165-0089 | 33 - Relief and recovery | The SDMG lead an initiative to deal at all levels with offers of assistance and donations from the general public in the event of disasters. |
REC165-0085 | 20 - Role of police | The Commissioner of Police, through a dedicated Assistant Commissioner (supported by a cohort of Assistant Commissioners to ensure adequate coverage), be assigned responsibility for overall control of each natural Disaster Management event in Queensland as the preferred arrangement. |
REC165-0082 | 33 - Relief and recovery | Current procedures to activate disaster recovery funding arrangements be retained and processes be reinforced. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC129-3622 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and consider building on influenza pandemic preparedness planning to develop broader contingency plans to address the emergence of other new, highly transmissible and/or severe infectious diseases. |
REC129-3628 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and continue to develop and test the capability of its contact tracing system to deal with a public health emergency. |
REC129-3627 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and continue to develop and test its surveillance systems for early detection of infectious diseases. |
REC129-3626 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and consider a more structured and systematic approach to the planning and risk assessment of major infectious diseases to assist transparency and decision making. |
REC129-3624 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and formally establish and oversight a comprehensive program of training, testing and evaluation of plans at the state, area and facility level. |
REC129-3623 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | We recommend that NSW Health continue with its good work and apply the lessons learnt from Exercise Cumpston to further improve preparedness for major infectious disease emergencies. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC128-3600 | 34 - Local knowledge | The Department of Primary Industries continue to consult local community about emergency planning and sites for disposal to retain confidence in the event of a genuine emergency. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC121-3651 | 10 - Infrastructure | A dedicated telephone line should be established by RailCorp between the RMC and any Emergency Services Control Centre for use during any emergency. |
REC121-3683 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | RailCorp should undertake risk assessments of each of its activities as follows: |
REC121-3710 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | The ITSRR should have permanent access to the RailCorp intranet. |
REC121-3673 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | Regular field training exercises should be conducted by RailCorp with the emergency services to ensure that the incident command system and rail displan are able to be fully implemented as quickly as possible and are reviewed and improved. |
REC121-3700 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | Maintenance plans on all trains should be revised annually. |
REC121-3664 | 20 - Role of police | The location of the command post for site control at the scene of any rail accident should be identified by NSW Police by a distinctive flashing light. |
REC121-3695 | 10 - Infrastructure | There should be interoperability of communications equipment between all trains operating on the New South Wales rail network. |
REC121-3657 | 10 - Infrastructure | All signal telephones must be maintained by RailCorp in proper working order. |
REC121-3687 | 10 - Infrastructure | There must be compatibility of communications systems throughout the rail network. It is essential that all train drivers, train controllers, signallers, train guards and supervisors of trackside work gangs in New South Wales be able to communicate using the same technology. |
REC121-3653 | 10 - Infrastructure | The RMC should be equipped by RailCorp with a transcriber system, or mimic board, or such other system as is necessary to enable identification of the precise location at any time of any train on the RailCorp network. |
REC121-3684 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | The ITSRR should conduct its own risk assessment in relation to the risk of any such high consequence, low probability accident and, if necessary, direct RailCorp to conduct a further risk assessment to reduce the level of residual risk to a level ITSRR regards as acceptable. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC111-3941 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the State Disaster Management Group supported by the Department of Emergency Services ensures that State-wide a robust disaster risk management process is established that includes the aggregation of relevant information from local, district, functional and threat specific plans to develop a hazard risk profile for Queensland. |
REC111-3940 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | To enhance disaster risk management planning processes, it is recommended that the State Disaster Management Group supported by the Department of Emergency Services develop a suitable performance management system to ensure local, district, functional and threat specific Disaster Management Plans are — |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC013_3967 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Each Shire Council shall divide the lands within their respective shires into suitable areas for the formation of Bush Fire Brigades as requested. |
REC013_3978 | 4 - Fire season preparation | Where possible to build stone or brick fireplaces for the use of travellers, teamsters, and drovers on the camping areas that are mostly used and where there is a risk of fire. |
REC013_3976 | 4 - Fire season preparation | To burn camping areas at suitable water and camping reserves. |
REC013_3975 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | To burn, where necessary, at least 33 feet where there is a risk of fire, on the outside of the railway fence, in conjunction with the railway employees. |
REC013_3974 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | To link up fallow paddocks and natural fire breaks by ploughing or burning breaks through private or public property, roads, &c. |
REC013_3968 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | Any number of persons, wishing to form a Bush Fire Brigade, may, by a majority vote of the ratepayers in the particular area, requisition the Shire Council to proclaim such area a Bush Fire Brigade area, and the Council may then impose, with the concurrence of a majority of such ratepayers, a special levy for the purpose of equipping such brigades and carrying out its neccessary functions. |