The Crime and Misconduct Commission should investigate whether the conduct of Mr Tibaldi, Mr Ayre and Mr Malone relating to: • preparation of documents surrounding the January 2011 flood event, including the 17 January 2011 brief to the Minister, the 2 March 2011 flood event report, and statement

The Queensland Government should determine, as far as possible, the impact of mine discharges during the 2010/2011 wet season on freshwater and marine water quality and fauna and flora.

Councils in floodplain areas should, resources allowing, develop comprehensive floodplain management plans that accord as closely as practicable with best practice principles.

The Bundaberg Regional Council should investigate the adequacy of the drain and take reasonable steps to ensure the Moore Park area is effectively served.

The Queensland Government should determine which of its agencies should take responsibility for the management of all existing and new abandoned mine sites in Queensland.

Seqwater should, in creating the new Wivenhoe and North Pine flood mitigation manuals, comprehensively consider: • the amount of discretion that is able to be exercised by the flood engineers and the senior flood engineers, and the description of the circumstances in which such discretion may be

Councils should consider making available to business owners locality specific information that would assist them to develop evacuation plans for commercial premises, for example, any evacuation sub-plan created under Emergency Management Queensland’s disaster evacuation guidelines.

Councils should consider using the limited development (constrained land) zone in their planning schemes for areas that have a very high flood risk.

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 pro

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.

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 opera

Seqwater should ensure a legal review of the Wivenhoe manual and the North Pine manual is completed before the manual is submitted for approval.

The Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation should assemble all information currently available to the abandoned mine land program into a single database.

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.

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.

The Queensland Government should ensure that, when it considers options for the operational strategies to
be employed at Wivenhoe and Somerset dams, and North Pine Dam, it is presented with a wide range of

Seqwater should consider commissioning an investigation into the extent of cracking below the level of the upper gallery of Somerset Dam and the impact of any such cracking on the dam’s stability and, in turn, its operation.

The Queensland Government should work collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government and mine operators to ensure co-ordinated and effective monitoring of salts, metals and other contaminants in marine environments that may be affected by mine discharges.

Bushfires NT create a bushfire management strategy and emergency response procedures framework including the criteria that define the escalation and response requirements for all incidents up to and including the establishment of an EOC, applicable for all regions across the Territory.

Better alignment between divisions within DNRETAS be achieved through the development of an integrated strategy that addresses the combined objectives of weed management, land management, carbon farming and biodiversity management using fire across the Territory.

That the Bushfires Act and Regulations be reviewed and modernised after the implementation of the recommendations of this review.

Increase the emphasis on the issuing of infringement notices to reinforce the responsibilities of landholder’s in the management of bushfires in the Territory.

Continue the use of Warnings and Alerts, in various languages, and through multiple broadcast media, including Indigenous language versions to engage with all people as to the risks of bushfire.

Knowledge and skills in AIIMS and WebEOC and incident management are further developed through regular scenario planning and incident management simulation exercise.

A comprehensive pre bushfire season communications strategy, that supplements and extends the information provided on the DNRETAS website, be implemented to inform and educate landholders.

Annual property inspections assessing access and fuel loads are conducted in all peri urban areas.

Recruitment strategies, be developed, including “growing their own”, that result in the appointment and retention of skilled people to the vacant Bushfires NT positions.

Develop a continuing education program for new members of the Bushfires Council, the Regional Committees and stakeholders’ representatives, to ensure that all stakeholders clearly understand the role and processes involved in the Bushfires Council advisory function.

That a trial be commissioned to assess the most effective means of road verge management, including regional variations, for future application across the Territory.

Review the membership of the Bushfires Council, and the composition of Regional Committees to ensure that the Council and Committees have representational stakeholders.

Secondment of expertise in fire management planning and fire control from other jurisdictions, in a training capacity, be investigated in preparation for the 2012 fire season.

Professional communications and educational resources be contracted to develop an integrated communications and engagement strategy and program for implementation by Bushfires NT.

Conduct an information sharing and planning exercise between Bushfires NT and NTFRS to explore the current boundaries and the overlaps in the peri-urban areas between the NTFRS ERA and the Bushfires NT areas of responsibility for all major centres in the NT.

Increase the capacity and capability of the Alice Springs Regional Committee.

Ensure educational material is available prior to the commencement of each fire season in each region.

Spreading the message of enforcement of landholder’s obligations and responsibilities through active consultation and ultimately the issuing of infringement notices be adopted as a planned strategic intervention to promote the importance of compliance with the Bushfires Act.

That Bushfires NT, NTFRS, DLP, Weeds Branch, Parks and Wildlife, the Natural Resources Management Board, Biodiversity staff and representatives of the Volunteer Fire Brigades get together, at least annually, to coordinate planning efforts for peri-urban areas.

Information for all landholders, in appropriate cultural and language formats be developed and distributed through events and multiple media.

An evaluation be conducted into the integration of the appropriate elements of the South Australian Country Fire Service “Crimson” networking system into Bushfires NT ICT.

Arrange a forum that includes all stakeholders in large scale fire management for the purposes of aligning the various stakeholder strategies across the Territory.

Investigate the application and cost of the creation of District Coordination Officers to key high demand brigade districts.

Conduct a stocktake of all assets and equipment in all regions for Bushfires NT and Volunteer Brigades.

Prepare a formal proposal for the creation of pastoral/Indigenous Lands Fire Management Teams.

Update the Asset and Equipment Register for all assets and equipment.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments ensure that the ability to:
- measure and map fuel loads
- maintain fuel load databases
- draw up prescriptions for, and oversee controlled burns

Regular rotation of staff across other regions of the Territory to increase knowledge, skills and expertise that can be called upon to increase response effectiveness.

That the concession holder of the rail corridor be approached to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding for the maintenance of the railway corridor for the purposes of fuel load reduction.

Implement maintenance schedules for all common assets and shared equipment.

Ensure that adequate administrative personnel are available within the incident control structure to provide administrative and knowledge management support for incident management.

Review Bushfires CRC initiatives as the basis for the implementation of a recruitment drive in the Territory.

That a cost benefit analysis of an integrated ICT desktop and portable capability including iPads and iPhones for all operational personnel be conducted.

PowerWater Corporation be consulted with the intention of establishing a Memorandum Of Understanding for the maintenance of PowerWater land for the purpose of coordinated fire reduction.

The Assets and Equipment Register be reviewed prior to each fire season.

A regular program that tests fire based incidents of command, control and coordination of operational procedures using scenario planning, training simulations and coordination of emergency responses between NTFRS, NTES and NT Police be instituted.

Review Bushfires NT brigade boundaries to increase the catchment for possible volunteers and maximise the availability and allocation of equipment.

Identify where Australian Government funding is available and apply for funding for integrating weed management, controlled burning, bushfire management and carbon farming initiatives.

An equipment replacement schedule for all Bushfires NT equipment be developed.

Develop a long term forecast of volunteer requirements, by region, and then review the adequacy of volunteer operational grants, equipment and facilities to meet this forecast.

A specialist investigation be conducted, using expertise from NT Treasury, to identify more appropriate ways to optimise the use of available funding for bushfire management.

Conduct a stocktake of all PPE and implement a top up program to bring all PPE to a fully operational standard.

Maintain DNRETAS as the lead agency for all aspects of Bushfires NT’s role and maintain Bushfires NT as the lead organisation for both fire prevention and fire fighting operations in its specified districts and zones.

Regional Fire Management Plans be reviewed for all regions prior to the start of each fire season. 

That the Director Bushfires NT NOT be appointed as a member of Council.

That the Office of Environment and Heritage amend its operating procedures for the Environment Line to ensure that there are clear obligations to pass on information relevant to other agencies, to those agencies in a timely manner.

That, as part of the Pollution Incident Management Response Plan to be developed for Orica’s Kooragang Island site, or by another appropriate mechanism, the Office of Environment and Heritage ensure that Orica’s incident-response procedures address the need to consider all relevant factors when a

That the Premier issue clear and unambiguous guidelines to all Government Ministers specifying the timing of notifications to the public of any matters that may affect public health or safety.

That, when developing requirements concerning pollution incident response management plans pursuant to the recent legislative amendments, the Office of Environment and Hertiage include appropriate definitions as to the meaning of ‘immediately’, and when ‘material harm to the environment is caused

That OEH’s testing procedures for determining the impact of pollution incidents incorporate additional requirements for the checking and verification of results before those results are released.

That, if necessary, regulation be amended to require Health to approve any script used by any party concerned, for door knocking or other information dissemination, if Health is not the first source of information to affected residents.

That the Office of Environment and Heritage require Orica to engage and fund appropriate independent experts to oversee any modifications to the plant in the next major maintenance overhaul of the plant in 2016 and in any upgrades to the plant prior to that date.

Foster private sector service providers who can offer tailored services or broadcast high quality presentation of general purpose weather information

Ensure the Bureau puts in place necessary planning and governance arrangements to develop its bid for capital funding to maintain its critical supercomputing capacity

Boost the number of frontline meteorologists to build response capacity in regional forecasting centres.

Start a project to introduce organisational process thinking with a view to standardising processes and product specifications.

Boost the Bureau’s flood warning capacity by:
(a) Increasing the number of frontline hydrologists
(b) Upgrading the flood monitoring system

Focus leadership practices to re-orient culture away from customisation and experimentation and towards reliable, efficient and consistent documented processes

Focus the Bureau’s evolving environmental information role on natural hazards in the first instance.

Complete workforce planning project and succession plans as a matter of urgency.

Review disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Explore options to limit forecaster intervention in site-specific web forecasts.

Centralise media services and establish protocols for media activity.

Cease or reduce the Ionospheric Prediction Service or offer it as a commercial service.

Phase out seasonal prediction development and modelling and rely on products generated elsewhere

Explore opportunities to re-phase investments in large scale projects and programs such as the Strategic Radar Enhancement Program, the NexGen Forecast and Warning System Products and the Improving Water Information Program.

Fund delivery of improved seasonal forecasting services by:
(c) Identifying potential offsets from government beneficiaries of any additional investment in seasonal forecasting services

Firm up approval processes and funding for any departures from provision of the basic product set

Lower yield options identified by the Bureau:
(a) Reduce staffing at remote observing stations
(b) Close the training facility at Broadmeadows, Victoria
(c) Consolidate forecasting functions for Northern Queensland
(d) Outsource the Bureau’s library

Review level of investment in research activities to free up budget and reduce pressure on computing capacity

Lower yield options identified by the Bureau:
(a) Reduce staffing at remote observing stations
(b) Close the training facility at Broadmeadows, Victoria
(c) Consolidate forecasting functions for Northern Queensland
(d) Outsource the Bureau’s library

Review and rebalance relative investment in long term climate modelling and medium-term seasonal outlook.

Additional frontline meteorologists and specialised centres and systems:
(a) Enhanced severe weather units
(b) National extreme weather centres
(c) Integrated all-hazards decision system
(d) Enhanced observation network

Apply a consistent cost-recovery model to all services delivered to state/territory fire agencies.

Increased automation and outsourcing of observations

Upgrade to the Bureau’s supercomputing capacity:
(a) Status quo
(b) Step change
(c) Further enhancements

Explore options to obtain revenue from advertising on the Bureau’s website

Extend ICT governance arrangements to all applications and subject in-house development to rigorous approval processes.

Improved seasonal forecasting capabilities: 
(a) Improved presentation of existing products
(b) Enhanced capability – keeping pace with international standards

Formalise and standardise service levels provided to emergency services.

Explore use of social media to enhance data gathering from authorised and informal sources and to disseminate weather information

Agree clear allocation of responsibilities to state and local government for flood management, with defined boundaries on the Bureau’s role and:
(a) As a minimum:
(i) Agree national standards for operation of flood monitoring networks and vest responsibility in fewer agencies