Inside Townsville’s flood recovery efforts

A council at the centre of the North Queensland floods talks about the challenges of coordinating the recovery effort.

24 February, 2019

Run ‘diagnostic’ on disaster plans: expert

Australian governments are being encouraged to evaluate their readiness to collaborate, which research shows is crucial to an effective response.

26 November, 2018

When disaster strikes: councils face volunteer challenges 

State-wide databases and better-funded programs are needed to help councils respond to changes in how Australians volunteer around disaster.

25 October, 2018

When the threat recedes: helping communities recover

Government News meets the individuals working to determine how government can best support communities affected by disaster.

6 August, 2018

New body to coordinate natural disaster recovery

New national resilience taskforce welcomed but councils seek federal mitigation program to fund local recovery.

17 April, 2018

SafeWork NSW fast tracks asbestos assessments on flood damage

Managing the clean up.

19 April, 2017

Pop-up prison could flood: Labor

Flood plain risk.

1 December, 2016

Data disaster: Do GIS systems protect Australians against extreme events?

Using mapping for disaster planning.

7 May, 2015

Disaster Online: NSW storm traffic surges but no flash crash

Tweets keep people off trains, roads and safe

23 April, 2015

NBN offers big maintenance savings: BIS Shrapnel

By Paul Hemsley and Julian Bajkowski Economic forecasting and industrial research house BIS Shrapnel has estimated that junking Australia’s existing copper phone lines for optical fibre-to-the-home under the National Broadband Network will deliver network maintenance savings of between $600 million to $700 million a year. BIS Shrapnel’s estimates predict a reduction of up to 70 […]

20 August, 2012

Putting out fires with mapping technology

Mapping technology used in last year's Queensland flood disasters is being used to help South Australia’s Country Fire Service (CFS) volunteers.   The CFS has been working with location intelligence vendor Esri Australia to develop a Geographic Information System (GIS) solution that uses multi-layered digital maps to provide front-line crews with detailed information as emergency […]

27 April, 2012

Victoria floods $19.3m into warning systems

By Paul Hemsley   Water minister Peter Walsh said the $12.1 million Floodzoom tool will be built to improve communications to communities that are situated in areas that flood.   “It will give emergency services a more accurate prediction of flood behaviour and help individual land holders assess their own flood risk,” the minister said. […]

3 May, 2011

Victoria gives councils $2.2 million

Minister for Local Government Jeanette Powell said the Victorian Coalition Government has made a further $2.2 million in relief payments available.   The payment comes under the $5 million Local Government Clean Up Fund to assist communities clean up, recover and rebuild.   Mrs Powell said $1.6 million in payments was provided in January and […]

4 March, 2011

ALGA wants Federal Budget to focus on infrastructure

The rebuilding of infrastructure in flood-ravaged areas shouldn't overshadow the need for ongoing funding in the Federal Budget, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has said. ALGA president Genia McCaffery said local government was at the forefront of the recovery. “The flooding will cost Queensland councils up to $2 billion alone,” she said. “I welcome […]

28 January, 2011