The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that the Queensland Police Service lead and co-design a whole-of-state training and exercise strategy.

The Inspector-General of Emergency Management recommends that by October 2025 the Queensland Police Service, as part of the ‘State Disaster Management Plan (SDMP) and the Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery Disaster Management Guideline (the Guideline) Review and Renewal Program’, provide clarity in the following key areas of the doctrine:
- evacuation terminology and procedures
- audience and purpose of local disaster management plans
- parameters for sharing of personal information during and after disasters
- transitional arrangements — roles and responsibilities when moving from response to recovery operations
- relief terminology.

An objective definition of an Extraordinary Catastrophe should be developed. This definition should be based on factors such as the type and scale of a weather event, the size of the population impacted and the macroeconomic conditions.

Onboarding, training and competency frameworks to prepare new hires for claims and complaint handling roles during a catastrophe should be reviewed or established. Consideration should be given to the maximum number of resources the training and onboarding team can manage at any one time during a catastrophe to maintain a baseline level of skills and quality of handling. Insurers should also consider providing claims and complaints staff with industry recognised accreditation or certificate level training.

Insurers should review the effectiveness of the definition, identification and support of vulnerable customers during catastrophes. Consideration should be given to other ways of categorising and supporting customers through events given that, after a large-scale catastrophe, most customers will be, in some way, vulnerable.

That all training associated with the Queensland Disaster Management Training Framework should, wherever possible, identify and utilise pathways to achieve nationally recognised qualifications.

That, in the 2027/28 financial year, the Inspector-General of Emergency Management partner with the Queensland Police Service and Queensland Reconstruction Authority to review the implementation of the Machinery of Government changes, and revised Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements.

That a State Recovery and Resilience Group be established and embedded in the Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements alongside the State Disaster Coordination Group, to focus on disaster management functions outside of response. The Queensland Reconstruction Authority should lead the establishment of the State Recovery and Resilience Group, develop the Terms of Reference and chair the group.

That there should be one State Disaster Management Plan that succinctly describes all of Queensland’s Disaster Management Arrangements, supported by separate sub-plans across the Prevention, Preparedness, Response and Recovery comprehensive model, including Resilience, mirroring the new governance structure. The State Disaster Management Plan should be reviewed biannually and/or following debriefs from significant disaster operations where relevant.

That the Reform Implementation Taskforce determines the most appropriate agency to manage the ongoing whole-of-government coordination of implementation and reporting on the recommendations of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. Until this time, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services should continue to progress implementation of recommendations, in consultation with the Reform Implementation Taskforce.

That the State Disaster Coordination Group revert to a single Chair arrangement (chaired by a Senior Queensland Police Officer), focused on response and the aspect of preparedness for, and resilience in, response. The Terms of Reference should be amended to incorporate this and other changes to its role and functions.

That the final composition of the Emergency Relief subcommittee’s inner and outer core membership be a joint responsibility of the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, in consultation with the State Disaster Coordinator and the State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator.

That any open Queensland Fire and Emergency Services recommendations made by the Inspector-General of Emergency Management, that are not hazard specific, transition to the Queensland Police Service at a time to be identified by the Reform Implementation Taskforce. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services should continue to progress implementation of recommendations, in consultation with the Queensland Police Service, until Machinery of Government changes are implemented.

That an Emergency Relief Subcommittee of the State Disaster Coordination Group and the State Recovery and Resilience Group be established to reflect a strong partnership arrangement to address all aspects of Emergency Relief. The roles of Chair and Deputy Chair are to be determined via consultation between the Queensland Police Service, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, and the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.

That the Reform Implementation Taskforce seeks clarity on all Memoranda of Understanding and agreements that are currently in scope as a result of the proposed Machinery of Government changes.

That this Review 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.

That clear lines of reporting be established between any appointed State Recovery Coordinator and the State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator.

That the roles and Terms of Reference of all current state and national disaster management committees that are non-hazard specific, and that reflect state disaster management arrangements and policy, be tabled at the Reform Implementation Taskforce for discussion and consideration of future representation.

That, for the recommendations arising from this review, the Office of the Inspector-General of Emergency Management is involved in consultation prior to the finalisation of the government action plan, to align intended actions with the intent of the recommendations.

That, to support the State Recovery and Resilience Group, the Functional Recovery Groups expand their remit to incorporate resilience and be renamed Functional Recovery and Resilience Groups.

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 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 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 update and deliver training on the workflow reviewed (as per Recommendation 3) of the current Emergency Alert system to all persons responsible at a local, district and state level by 1 November 2022. Training should address system constraints and system complexities in addition to the process of requesting, composing (including Clear Explicit Translatable Language [CETL]), authorising and issuing Emergency Alerts.  

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 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 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 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 Queensland Fire and Emergency Services identifies stakeholders that would benefit from predictive service products. Suitable advice and training should be provided to these stakeholders to assist with using and interpreting the products.

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 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 the Department of Environment and Science review its training framework and minimum mandatory training requirements for Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Incident Controllers to ensure they are appropriately trained to manage significant events.

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 provision of system-wide tools, education, guidance and testing for requests for assistance is strengthened to enhance understanding and outcomes.

Business continuity planning should feature permanently in disaster management doctrine.

The provision of system-wide education, guidance and testing to enhance requests for Assistance is strengthened.

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

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.

All agencies should identify the capacity and appropriate positions for the role of liaison officers, and ensure sufficient numbers are trained.

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

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.

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.  

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

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.

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. 

Building capacity in fire simulation and predictive capabilities, including the capability of people to read and interpret these products through training, should be investigated and considered.

The chairpersons of disaster management groups within the Mackay Disaster District, supported by the Queensland Police Service and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, implement the Mackay Disaster District capability improvement strategy.

In conjunction with the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services review of guidelines, the Public Safety Business Agency should consider reviewing the cyclone shelter management training package to include guidance to the shelter management team on their roles and responsibilities, and powers available under legislation and how these may be exercised.

That the following disaster management doctrine are reviewed and reissued to ensure consistency and improved guidance to local government:
- Queensland Evacuation Guidelines for Disaster Management Groups;
- Queensland Public Cyclone Shelter Operations Guidelines;
- Queensland Public Cyclone Shelters Maintenance Guidelines;
- Guideline. Mitigating the Adverse Impacts of Cyclones – Evacuation and Shelter; and
- Business Continuity Planning Resource for Aged Care Facilities.

The evacuation sub-plan component of the Local Disaster Managment Plan should be reviewed, including any identified triggers for activation. Ideally, the plan should be tested in a live, multi-agency exercise prior to next summer.

Banana Shire Council completes business continuity planning as a matter of priority, including documentation and testing of the plan.

Local Disaster Coordination Centre capability and capacity should be reviewed to ensure adequate staffing arrangements are in place to fill key positions, and that operational protocols are known and practiced across all functions to provide redundancy. Assistance for review and necessary training should be sought from key Local Disaster Management Group member agencies.

The Local and District Disaster Management Guidelines are reviewed to align with the Standard for Disaster Management in Queensland.

That Queensland’s disaster management arrangements are reviewed to enhance integration. Specifically: · to address the disparity between functions and structure of local government and disaster groups · to integrate hazard specific agency planning at all levels of the arrangements (This may include legislative, policy and procedural considerations).

State agencies with disaster management roles and responsibilities assess their performance by including a disaster management performance measure in chief executive officers’ performance agreements. This measure should reinforce an obligation for agencies to participate in the arrangements at all levels.

Responsibilities of functional lead agencies and hazard-specific primary agencies are clearly articulated in state level doctrine, including the Queensland State Disaster Management Plan.

An integrated risk-based approach to disaster management planning for Queensland is developed that is consistent with the Standard for Disaster Management in Queensland and applicable at all levels of the arrangements.

The Warning and Alert Systems training (including the use of Emergency Alert and the requirements of the guidelines) is delivered to:
- relevant local and district disaster management group members
- authorising officers
- other relevant stakeholders.

That the requirement for Primary Producer Brigade members to undertake a Firefighter Minimum Skills course be removed and replaced with a ‘Primary Producer Brigade Induction’ course.

That Rural Fire Service Queensland undertake a risk management process for rural fire Brigade profiles across Queensland based on the principles in the Rural Fire Brigade Risk Management Guide, July 1999, and updated as necessary.

That a mobile training program be established for areas with identified above average fire risk to train in fire behaviour and Australasian Inter-Service Incident Management System principles across land tenures.

That Rural Fire Service Queensland utilise external Registered Training Organisations for the training of volunteers and other stakeholders.

That the focus of Rural Fire Service Queensland will be the protection of life, property and the environment from the threat and impact of wildfire.

That, wherever possible, combined training take place between volunteers across a wide range of volunteer organisations.

That Rural Fire Service Queensland to have its own training support coordinators who, in conjunction with external Registered Training Organisations, co-ordinate the training curriculum throughout Queensland.

That the Department of Community Safety review Rural Fire Service Queensland and other volunteer organisation records and consider options to simplify recognition of training records and competencies, criminal history checks, equipment capacities and other background information for volunteers who belong to more than one volunteer organisation.

That, as with Recommendation 23 related to Rural Fire employees, all State Emergency Service employees should have a recorded history of volunteering.

That all volunteer training conducted by the Rural Fire Service Queensland will be relevant to employment levels within the Rural Fire Service Queensland.

That Rural Fire Service Queensland work with the State Emergency Service, Surf Life Saving Queensland and other volunteer organisations to develop training programs which can be recognised by all organisations (E.G. chainsaw training, Four-wheel drive training)

That the State Government recognises the legal status of rural fire brigades as per Crown Law advice and addressed by Recommendations from this Review.

That Rural Fire Service Queensland recognise training and experience in rural fire Brigades as equal to experience gained in other rural fire services when considering candidates for employment.

That the current Primary Producer Brigade manual be withdrawn and a working group comprising Rural Fire Service Queensland staff, Rural Fire Brigade Association of Queensland representatives and Primary Producer Brigade volunteers and as a priority produce a new, simpler and less bureaucratic booklet.

That members of Primary Producer and Rural Classified Brigades will only require a Criminal History Check if they become an office bearer of that Brigade.

That all employees of Rural Fire Service Queensland MUST demonstrate a background in, knowledge or experience of land management and volunteering.

That the Department of Fire and Emergency Services be created through the renaming and amendment to the existing Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990 including:
- The creation of a new, ‘Fire and Emergency Services Act’ 2013.
- Transfer those sections of the Disaster Management Act 2003 pertinent to State Emergency Service and Emergency Service Units into the Fire and Emergency Services Act’ 2013.
- Removal of the specific requirement for the QFRS Commissioner to be an experienced ‘fire officer’.

That the annual training calendar identify course, training location and the coordinating authority.

That as part of reviewing its legislation, Queensland Corrective Service should ensure that amendments be made to ensure a stronger onus is placed upon a more efficient process to receive prisoners with a view to reducing the time spent in police watch houses.

That the Queensland Police Service Disaster Management Unit be given responsibility for production of the State disaster management plan for the State Disaster Management Group’s approval.

That the ‘Functions of Chief Executive’ under the Disaster Management Act 2003 are amended to remove those functions that will become the role of the proposed Inspector General of Emergency Management.

That impediments to the publication of an annual training calendar of core skills be removed.

That a system should be designed so that the prisoner and the prisoner’s prescribed drugs are treated as one and therefore travel together through the system for whatever purpose.

That the Disaster Management Act 2003 be amended to:
- specify the Commissioner of Police as Deputy Chair of the State Disaster Management Group
- identify that a Deputy Commissioner of Police would be the default choice for appointment as State Disaster Coordinator.

That the Inspector General Emergency Management assess the effectiveness of plans and policy in relation to SES deployment and command and control.

That the new Department of Fire and Emergency Services develop a common doctrine to protect people from fire and emergencies.

That the presence of police in State Disaster Coordination Centre response teams is mandated and formalised through documented standard operating procedures.

That the current SES memoranda of agreement between the Department of Community Safety and local governments be revised to include a clear statement as to the command and control arrangements between State and respective local governments. These arrangements should also be reflected in the local disaster management plans.

That the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service work to change the culture of entitlement so that firefighters recognise firefighting is only one of a range of skills they bring to their core role of emergency management.

That the Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business consider ‘big data’ problems and solutions in line with the outcome of the efficiency review into the Queensland Police Service and ensure alignment with whole of government solutions.

That any changed arrangements to the operations of Queensland Corrective Service ensure anti-corruption, prisoner management, and accountability processes are defined and established.

That the Queensland Police Service and SES develop clear operational protocols to ensure that SES assistance is not exploited.

That the Fire and Rescue Act 1990 be amended so that Commissioner’s position is not limited to a “person with professional experience in fire prevention and fire fighting”.

That the Queensland Police Service bring this practice to the attention of the Privacy Commissioner and discuss a new service wide policy on the retention of data to ensure that their officers are not acting in breach of the law.

That all Queensland Corrective Service provision of training should be contestable.

That the Queensland Police Service Disaster Management Unit work with emergency management staff in the new portfolio to produce the State disaster management plan.

Emergency Management Queensland should pursue the execution of the ‘Local Arrangements’ with councils where a Memorandum of Agreement is in place. The contents of the arrangements should be reviewed and updated regularly

CS Energy should amend its business procedure to remove any ambiguity as to the establishment of communications with Seqwater and to acknowledge the formal communications protocol regarding releases.

The Queensland Government should amend the Environmental Protection Act 1994 so as to permit an emergency direction to be given orally where it is not practicable to provide the direction in writing, with provision for its subsequent confirmation in writing

CS Energy should review its emergency action plan and business procedures to ensure they are wholly consistent and give appropriate consideration to flooding as a possible emergency event.

The Queensland Government should consider amending the Environmental Protection Act 1994 to provide a definition of the term ‘emergency’ for the purposes of section 468 of that Act.

The assessment of flood mitigation manuals should be completed by a person with appropriate expertise who has had no involvement in its development, at any stage, and who can be seen to be independent of all individuals who were so involved.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should conduct periodic dam safety information and education sessions with emergency management personnel including those from Emergency Management Queensland, local and district disaster management groups and local councils. Priority should be given to sessions if the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a wet season with a greater than 50 per cent chance of above median rainfall.

The Queensland Government should consider amending the Environmental Protection Act 1994 so that it allows for the relaxation of environmental authority conditions, by transitional environmental program or otherwise, as to discharge of water: • pre-emptively, in advance of rainfall or flooding events, or • for all mines in a catchment that is flooding.

The Queensland Government should amend the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 to designate the Minister as the person who must approve a flood mitigation manual.

The Queensland Government should legislate to oblige each owner of a referable dam to have an emergency action plan approved by the appropriate Queensland Government agency. Such plans should be reviewed periodically

The Queensland Government should legislate to clarify the purposes for which a transitional environmental program can be granted. In particular, if the government considers the transitional environmental program the appropriate regulatory mechanism to deal with the discharge of water from mines during flood, section 330 of the Environmental Protection Act 1994 should be clarified to make it clear that it extends to that use.

Emergency Management Queensland should simplify the process by which SES members gain recognition for prior qualifications so that unnecessary duplication of training can be avoided.

Wide Bay Water should, in addition to its usual wet season preparations and maintenance, undertake the following activities in advance of each wet season: Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry | Final Report 29 Complete list of Final Report recommendations • conduct training for personnel on dam operation, including contingency plans for the situation in which one or more of the gates is inoperable • hold meetings of key personnel of Wide Bay Water involved in the operation of the dam during floods, which: – in addition to any other matters, inform staff about the current status of the gates, dam operation strategies and contingency plans for the situation in which one or more of the gates is inoperable – are recorded in minutes which document the information provided and are made available to all operational staff.

That the Queensland Reconstruction Authority review and approve the draft organisational policies and procedures, in the areas of human resources, finance, communications and information technology.

That the Queensland Reconstruction Authority develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure the adequate management and security of public records in accordance with the Public Records Act 2009.

The State Disaster Management Act be strengthened by a description of the phases of Disaster Management with emphasis on the key elements within each phase including the recovery phase; ƒ Lead Agencies and nominated leaders in each area of Queensland for each of the four key elements of recovery be identified and provided with the appropriate training and familiarisation of their role to ensure the adequacy of planning at District and Local level throughout Queensland;ƒ Lead Agencies be responsible for maintaining strong relationships with counterparts at the Federal Government level to ensure necessary Federal support for State and Local recovery initiatives after disaster events; ƒ Response arrangements remain in place until the State Controller is satisfied that recovery leadership arrangements are in place at Local, District and State levels; Recovery leadership and support from State level remain in place until local recovery is substantially completed.

The State Disaster Management Group focus on Disaster Management strategy and policy with sub-committees or appropriate levels in the Disaster Management system assigned detailed disaster planning or risk management assessment roles. ƒ New group members be provided with an induction briefing about the State's Disaster Management arrangements by the Executive Officer prior to attending their first meeting.

The Act be amended to make it clear that Disaster Controllers/Coordinators at all levels are to be authorised public officials with the necessary training and authority to properly discharge the role and provide an effective direct line of support, coordination and control of disaster events. ƒ The Act and State Plan provide guidance about appropriate role and functions of elected representatives during all disaster event phases. ƒ The Major Incidents Group and State Security Committee be merged to become the State Disaster and Security Council with role as suggested in this report.

The Chairperson of SDMG (where leadership is not already defined in relevant National Plans) nominate a senior officer to assume overall responsibility for control and coordination of each disaster event to ensure a decisive and effective response. ƒ At Local level the Act provide for the CEO in consultation with the LDMC to appoint a public official/s with required training and competence as Local Controller.

The Department of Community Safety (through EMQ) be assigned in the Act with the responsibility to develop, maintain, monitor and continuously improve the State's Disaster Management arrangements and systems. ƒ The Executive Director, EMQ, be a member of SDMG with the Director-General, Department of Community Safety. ƒ The position of Executive Officer, SDMG, be assigned appropriate support roles to SDMG. ƒ An officer other than the Executive Director, EMQ, or the State Controller of a disaster event, perform the role of Executive Officer to the SDMG. ƒ A dedicated Assistant Commissioner of Police be assigned the role of control, coordination and overall responsibility for Queensland's response to disaster events other than those subject to National Plans and Agreements.

The suggested summary of legislative changes guide the legislative response to the report incorporating consultation with key stakeholders at State, District and Local levels.

The State Disaster Management Plan incorporate linkages with all Lead Agencies and officers in control of National Plan or Agreement response. All of these Plans and Agreements should have a formal requirement to ensure officers in charge work within the State's Disaster Management framework to deliver Disaster Management responses.

Executive Officers to DDCs be serving Police Officers. ƒ Regional and Area officers of EMQ be members of Local and District Disaster Management Groups to enable them to fulfil their Statewide support and governance roles.

The Act be amended (Sections 45, 46, 47) to enable verbal directions in times of disaster responses from a State Controller to DDC to Local Controller, which must be committed to writing promptly to formalise the record.

EMQ resources be directed to continually improving, monitoring and regularly evaluating the State's Disaster Management system with a priority focus on providing support to Local Government levels including interlinking exercises involving District and State arrangements.

The basic tenet of a local community response as the foundation of Queensland's Disaster Management framework, with a clear description of the relationships between the levels and description of the phases of Disaster Management, needs to be more strongly emphasised in the "objects" of the legislation and "how objects are to be achieved".

QFRS improve the capacity to address the brigade training gap by continuing to encourage and facilitate the accreditation of volunteer trainers within brigades where appropriate. 

QFRS continue to support area training staff in the development and implementation of brigade training programs and calendars.

QFRS establish a structured risk management process for rural fire management, which involves regional and area offices, to enhance decision making processes and ensure opportunities are maximised and losses are minimised. This process should be linked to forward planning and incorporate existing processes such as:
▪ brigade hazard identification and reduction plans (brigade fire management plans).
▪ brigade one year operational and three year management plans.
▪ local action plans for iZone brigades (high risk areas).

I recommend that Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) expedite the introduction of mandatory crew resource management training. 

I recommend that CASA reconsider the introduction of measures to ensure the efficiency of training and checking organisations for air transport operations. I recommend that this include the way in which particular training needs of an air operator’s flight crew are to be identified (including recurrent training and CRM training) and how those needs are to be met by approved or certified training and checking organisations. 

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. 

To ensure an effective and co-ordinated approach to communication throughout the Queensland disaster management system, it is recommended that —
• the State Disaster Management Group supported by the Department of Emergency Services review the currency of the Communications and Information Protocols for Disasters and Major Incidents and communicate the protocols to all relevant stakeholders;
• a suitable Memorandum of Understanding/Partnering Agreement for district disaster co-ordination be developed between the Department of Emergency Services and the Queensland Police Service which clearly outlines their respective roles and responsibilities; and
• the Department of Emergency Services finalise its review of protocols which outline the respective roles and responsibilities of the State and local governments.

To enhance the delivery of disaster management services, it is recommended that the Department of Emergency Services —
• finalise and implement a suitable disaster management training framework; and
• review the appropriateness of its current performance measurement framework and develop suitable balanced (quantitative and qualitative) output measures that facilitate monitoring of disaster management planning implementation across the State.

It is recommended that public sector entities establish frameworks which will provide for more effective governance over business continuity management.