INQ310

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).

Practical guidance on what community-led recovery means, and how it can be best implemented should be captured and shared with all who have responsibility for it.

09-Community education/engagement/preparedness

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:

Recovery plans at all levels should include transition arrangements. They should be implemented during recovery. The arrangements should:
a. allow for the fluid and overlapping nature of phases of disaster management.

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

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.

The basic capacity needs of each functional recovery group and how this can be scaled up should be identified.