Queensland’s path to disaster resilience

Abstract

Queensland is the most disaster-impacted state in Australia, having been hit by more than 80 significant natural disaster events in the past decade. This has resulted in loss of life and billions of dollars of damage to public infrastructure. Since the beginning of 2020 alone, Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) have been activated for 15 natural disaster events in Queensland. Given Queensland’s exposure to natural hazards, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) is committed to strengthening the state’s disaster resilience through the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience and its implementation plan, Resilient Queensland 2018-21 (RQ). Through the delivery of RQ’s regional resilience strategies, QRA is working with Queensland’s diverse urban, regional and remote communities to better understand their resilience needs and develop resilience plans, to better coordinate and prioritise future action. This focus on resilience is complemented by concerted efforts in reconstruction. Since its establishment in 2011, QRA has managed a $16.4 billion program of reconstruction works, representing the most significant infrastructure program in Australia in recent years, with the added challenge of works being spread over a broad geographic area, with many delivery agents. In addition, Queensland’s Betterment Framework, developed in 2013 has enabled the reconstruction of more resilient essential public infrastructure which can better withstand the impacts of repeated disasters. To date, 480 betterment projects with a combined value of over $240 million have been approved across four Betterment programs. Importantly, 95 per cent of completed betterment projects have remained functional after subsequent disaster events. This has avoided estimated reconstructions costs of more than $145 million, proving the value of building back better. Into the future, the DRFA Efficiencies Framework will unlock further funding streams for betterment projects. Under DRFA, the Commonwealth contributes to a state’s reconstruction program on the basis of an estimated reconstruction cost, with any efficiencies (i.e. where actual costs are less than estimated) retained by the state for allocation to disaster mitigation and resilience activities. Queensland will have the opportunity to invest efficiencies from the 2018-19 reconstruction program in stronger infrastructure, resulting in further savings for all-levels of government in the long-term. In May 2021, the Commonwealth announced the establishment of the new National Recovery and Resilience agency, presenting additional opportunities to support the recovery and resilience of Queensland communities. This presentation will provide updates on these important initiatives that are helping to make Queensland communities stronger, safer and more resilient to disasters.