INQ297

That in flood-prone municipalities, the respective Municipal Committee develops or reviews flood-related sub-plans within a Municipal Emergency Management Plan at least every two years and submits each sub-plan to the Regional Controller for approval.

Subject to funding, that the Flood Warning Consultative Committee investigates the hydrological matters and advice received during this Review and detailed in this Report in Sections 4.1.9 and 4.1.11.

That the Flood Warning Consultative Committee reviews flood classification levels in the Service Level Specifications with BoM specifically relating to flood level triggers on gauges.

That BoM and the Flood Warning Consultative Committee, in consultation with gauge owners, review flood gauges and develop a program to update data used to support hydrologic modelling. This should include reviewing gauge maintenance before and after floods.

That Government supports the anticipated SES State Flood Warning proposals aimed at improving public warnings and communication, and that the proposed warning system is consistent with the National Frameworks.

That emergency management authorities react with heightened awareness and action when BoM issues flood watches and related warnings.

That DPAC becomes the Management Authority for recovery in Tasmania.

That Government engages with non-government organisations that may provide services during emergency events to clarify the terms and conditions for support through a written arrangement (MOU or similar).

That, in the event of a major emergency such as the June floods, a government department (DPAC or State Growth) be appointed to coordinate infrastructure repair, to the extent that funding allows, for the whole state.

That the organisations responsible for construction, maintenance and ownership of bridges review their design guidelines and, if necessary, update them to specifically include consideration of debris and flood impacts on bridge design.

That, to provide greater clarity for building development, design and approval within tolerable risk levels, the Tasmanian Planning Scheme, including a relevant Riverine Flood Hazard Code, is finalised and approved as soon as practicable.

That the Flood Warning Consultative Committee considers the merits of delineating the Ouse River as a separate catchment from the Derwent River Basin.

That heightened awareness and action is needed by communities when BoM issues flood watches and related warnings. Councils and SES need to facilitate this.

That all councils include an easily identifiable website link for the public to locate their Municipal Emergency Management Plan and community safety information.

That SES uploads current flood studies and plans to the Common Operating Platform as a flood plan layer and that councils, subject to resolving licence restrictions, arrange to have appropriate access.

That agencies undertaking flood studies adopt a standardised approach, based on Australia Handbook 7, maintain public ownership of underlying data sets to support future modelling, and ensure open access to these studies.

That Government:

That Government establishes a central flood policy unit responsible for coordinating flood policy across all government agencies, including Government Businesses, and ensures that such a unit has a whole-of-government and community focus.

That SES and Tasmania Fire Service share resources and align their community education programs and adopt an all-hazards approach to awareness.

That in the event that Hydro Tasmania decides to start cloud seeding again, water managers, represented by DPIPWE, work with Hydro Tasmania to ensure appropriate, best practice application of the guidelines issued by the Agricultural and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand.

That DPIPWE examines the WMAwater report along with its own, analyses the differences, consults with the Forest Practices Authority and Environment Protection Authority, and proposes an appropriate course of action to Government.

That DPIPWE examines the Forest Practice Code 2015 for relevance of its concepts to farming and other business activities near rivers, streams and naturally occurring dams and makes recommendations to Government accordingly.

That DPIPWE clarifies responsibility for river restoration and riparian management and, having done so, communicates this to councils, landowners and other owners of relevant infrastructure.

That the State Emergency Management Committee allocates resources to reviewing all findings and recommendations in the Productivity Commission Report No. 74 relevant to Tasmania and, for those identified as relevant, actions taken and, if none, why not.