Recovering after the December 2024 and January 2025 rain and flood events will be the full focus of a new committee formed.
The South Burnett Local Disaster Recovery Committee met for the first time on 2 January, to discuss the task of coordinating short and medium-term relief and assistance.
A council spokesperson told Burnett Today that it was too early to give a full estimated cost due to the length of the recent storm event.
“Current expectation is that it will be in the millions of dollars,” they said.
The Local Disaster Recovery Committee went to ‘stand-up activation’, and includes four recovery sub-committees -covering economic, environment, human and social, and infrastructure areas.
“The South Burnett Local Disaster Recovery Committee will help promote a coordinated approach by all three levels of government working alongside the community to support initiatives to assist the region’s economic and social recovery following this series of significant rain events,” Mayor Kathy Duff, Chair of the Recovery Committee, said.
A council spokesperson told Burnett Today that under the State Disaster Management Plan and the South Burnett Disaster Recovery Plan, key government departments act as functional lead agencies in disaster recovery.
The South Burnett Recovery Committee, including the four sub-committees, consists of representatives from various chambers and business associations across the region, all councillors, BIEDO and all available and relevant state government departments and agencies.
The Human and Social Recovery Sub-Committee will help bring together the region’s key government agencies and not-for-profit organisations from the social services sector, with a focus on supporting people’s mental and physical wellbeing, and strengthening the community’s social resilience.
The 2 January meeting considered issues of immediate support for those residents directly affected, and the group discussed bringing Blazeaid to the region to assist the rural sector with fencing restoration as ground conditions improve.
The Recovery Committee runs in parallel to the already formed South Burnett Local Disaster Management Group and will assist with the transition arrangements from response to relief.
Another purpose of the Recovery Committee will be to provide guidance and support to Council on issues and barriers that affect the recovery process.
A council spokesperson outlined that the recovery time will vary for different areas.
Infrastructure repair will be done within state and commonwealth guidelines to make use of assistance grants, whereas community and economic recovery has already started.
The committee will also provide advice on the development and implementation of strategies that will deliver positive outcomes for the impacted areas.
In previous years disaster kits have been rolled out through the Get Ready Programme, along with preparedness programs.
A council spokesperson stated sandbagging will be an area reviewed during the debrief of the December 2024/ January 2025 disaster event.
The council reminded residents to always be prepared for storms during summer.
“The community needs to be aware that events like this can still occur this summer and preparation is key to protecting people and property into the future,” a SBRC spokesperson said.
