North Coast flood report released
21st October 2009Ministerial media release
Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan today said a report on May's devastating Northern NSW floods had shown the effectiveness of the State Government's new arrangements to help communities recover from disasters.
Mr Whan said the report by North Coast Flood Recovery Coordinator, former NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney, was a comprehensive review of the recovery operation under the new arrangements, announced in April.
"I want to thank Ken Moroney for his diligent work with government agencies, local councils, industry groups, insurers and welfare providers to help ensure flooded communities were set on the path to recovery," he said.
"I received the report on October 7, immediately before I visited the North Coast to thank emergency services and recovery personnel, and gave an undertaking to release it and a preliminary response within a fortnight.
"The Northern NSW floods were not only a test of the resilience of local communities but also of our new streamlined mechanisms for providing Government support to communities struck by disaster.
"Natural disasters of the magnitude of these floods require an immediate and professional emergency response, along with extensive, sustained support by many people and agencies to help affected districts to recover.
"Our new systems worked effectively to support local authorities and numerous agencies in their efforts to assist residents and businesspeople who needed help to recover from damage and hardship.
"We can always learn from every experience and the work and recommendations of Mr Moroney will be tremendously beneficial as we continue to refine and build on our processes for future recovery operations."
Mr Whan said the Government had already addressed the report's primary recommendation with the establishment last month of the new State Disaster Recovery Advisory Group.
"Addressing Mr Moroney's report and recommendations will be the first priority for this group, which brings together expertise from across Government to advise on recovery planning and preparedness," he said.
"The Advisory Group will also be providing input to the final drafting of new recovery arrangements to be outlined in a NSW Recovery Plan."
Mr Whan said the State Emergency Recovery Controller would be working closely with emergency services and other government and non-government agencies to improve awareness of recovery planning and mechanisms.
"We will be looking for opportunities to dovetail information about recovery processes into community awareness programs other agencies might be running on disaster risk and preparedness, for instance," he said.
"District Emergency Management Committees are being briefed and forums such as the Local Government Association Conference at Tamworth also will benefit from Mr Moroney's hard work."
The Recovery Coordinator's Report on the Mid-North and Far North Coast Flood Recovery May 2009 and the preliminary State Government response are available on emergency.nsw.gov.au.
North Coast flood report released (PDF 41KB)