Plan to deliver a safer, more disaster resilient Queensland

In a nationwide first for disaster recovery and resilience, the Palaszczuk Government today launches a statewide plan that will strengthen Queensland’s resilience to natural disasters.

Minister for State Development Cameron Dick said Resilient Queensland 2018-21 – Delivering the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience was a blueprint for use across government, the community, not-for-profit sector, business and industry.

The plan will be presented today by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to the Floodplain Management Australia national conference on the Gold Coast. 

Its release follows last week’s announcement of a $38 million Disaster Resilience Fund to strengthen the state’s resilience to future disasters.

“Resilient Queensland will see every region across our State with an individually-tailored regional resilience plan by 2022,” Mr Dick said.

“In the 2017–18 disaster season alone, we’ve already been impacted by six separate events causing in excess of $370 million damage to public infrastructure.

“This does not account for impacts to agriculture, tourism, business or private property.

“As the most disaster impacted state in Australia, it is important Queenslanders have an ability to adapt and recover in a short amount of time. To do this it is equally important we continue to build our resilience before, during and after disasters.

“This plan is the state’s whole-of-government response to disaster resilience.

“It will see better coordination of government policy, information management, project delivery and stakeholder collaboration through tangible projects that deliver outcomes.”

Mr Dick said Resilient Queensland was developed following statewide consultation and took into account the invaluable knowledge that already existed in disaster management and resilience building at a local-level.   

“That knowledge has then been used to create a structured plan that will strengthen our communication networks, encourage shared knowledge, identify gaps and opportunities and refine our understanding of community attitudes and disaster awareness levels across Queensland.”

Mr Dick said the strategy was already delivering on a more disaster resilient state through a range of programs including the North Stradbroke Island Township Bushfire Management Plans and the Burnett Catchment Flood Resilience Strategy.

Disaster resilience plans will now also be developed for Western Queensland and the Fitzroy and Mary River Regions, with further locations for development of plans to be announced later in the year.

“As Queenslanders, we all have a role to play in making Queensland the most disaster resilient state in Australia,” Mr Dick said.

“Collectively we have the ability to make a difference by championing resilience activities and taking greater responsibility for our assets to minimise community disruption and limit personal and property impact. Resilient Queensland is the vehicle for driving that message.”

Resilient Queensland was developed by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Australia’s only permanent disaster recovery agency.

The Disaster Resilience Fund will enable local governments, state agencies and non-government organisations to deliver mitigation and resilience projects across four years starting in 2018–19, in parallel with disaster reconstruction works.

For more information visit: www.qldra.org.au/ResilientQueensland

Media contact: Joe Begley 0447 320 039