REC205-1902

The Council of Australian Governments should commission an independent public inquiry to develop an appropriate response to managing the risks of climate change to existing settlements. The inquiry should:
• explore, via extensive consultation with all levels of government and the community, in a variety of locations, the community’s acceptable levels of risk for public and private assets
• identify the options available to manage climate change risks to these assets
• assess the benefits and costs of each option
• establish policy frameworks that can be applied by state, territory and local governments.
State and territory governments should draw on the findings of the inquiry to:
• manage risks to their own assets
• clarify roles and responsibilities for managing climate change risks for each level of government and the community
• provide appropriate support to local governments that face capacity constraints.