Brisbane Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner, has released a 51-point blueprint to ensure Brisbane is better prepared for future flood events.
The Lord Mayor says Council’s Rebuild and Recover: Flood Resilience Action Plan will work concurrently with the independent ‘Brisbane City Council 2022 Flood Review’ prepared Paul de Jersey, AC CVO QC.
Mr de Jersey’s report stated, ‘Council’s approach has served the people of Brisbane very well’ and praised officers who ‘went well and truly beyond the limits of duty’ while making 37 recommendations to improve Brisbane’s flood preparedness.
These recommendations included:
- investigate alternative sandbag distribution locations
- formally integrate the functions of community hubs in Council’s disaster responses
- update flood maps and reports
- Promote Council’s voluntary Weatherzone warning service
Lord Mayor Schrinner praised Mr de Jersey’s report, saying the highly respected former Supreme Court justice’s recommendations were an important milestone in Brisbane’s preparation for disasters.
“Just 81 days after this independent review, we are now releasing our own blueprint for acting on these recommendations as well as timeframes for ensuring this important work is completed as soon as possible,” he said.
“The priority now must be ensuring Brisbane is better prepared in the event of another disaster and our Action Plan will make sure that happens.”
Council has paused and cancelled a number of projects to prioritise Brisbane’s flood recovery.
“The damage to Council’s assets was far worse than the 2011 flood and the global circumstance during which we are undertaking Brisbane’s biggest ever rebuild are among the most challenging in generations,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We are determined to prioritise our recovery, which is why we have made some tough decisions.
“These decisions weren’t easy, but they were the right thing to do.”
As part of Council’s clean up effort, an estimated 75,535 tonnes of waste has been collected, more than 17,000 potholes repaired, and more than 29,000 free tip trips took place.
Chair of the Flood Recovery Taskforce and Civic Cabinet Infrastructure, Councillor Andrew Wines spoke to the actions Council was taking to tackle the city’s long-term recovery.
“The Action Plan has 51 actions that will help our community to bounce back faster, make our city more resilient, and ensure that as a Council, we can better endured future severe weather events,” Cr Wines said.
He said the Action Plan works focused on key areas including infrastructure, transport, community economy, environment and drainage, land use planning and organisation and finance.
Council has detailed actions to identify and improve key infrastructure through strategic upgrades, relocation and betterment which will ensure their longevity for the community, said Cr Wines.
“Council will work cooperatively with key partners like Energy Queensland to improve and relocate infrastructure such as traffic signals and public lighting where necessary. This will ensure that when Brisbane experiences its next disaster, the city will be better prepared, and our community will be safer,” he said.
