Engineers Australia Queensland Division’s submission in response to the Queensland Flood Commission of Inquiry Interim Report, has included the recommendation that leadership with flood management should become the primary responsibility of the state government rather than local authorities

Spokesperson Bill Weeks said that since flooding can affect all regions of the state, a holistic and longer-term approach needs to be undertaken to manage impacts for all Queenslanders.

“Floodplain management needs high standards of information that is readily understood for each of our diverse regions, and providing such a resource needs a state-wide approach.

“Currently, it is left to the resources and capabilities of the individual local government authorities to do their best to identify and then be prepared for what natural disasters may come their way.

“A practical, longer-term improvement could be achieved for all by delivering a state-wide floodplain management manual that included maps for all regions that are developed from reliable hydraulic analysis and topographic surveys.

“To achieve a consistent and well researched floodplain management resource for all our regions will require some significant resources, and any additional costs incurred by the state must be balanced against the savings in community suffering, possible loss of life and economic disruption.

“Also, having high quality information available about each region would greatly assist the community in understanding the possible outcomes of planning proposals and therefore more accountability around planning decisions,” Weeks said.

The Engineers Australia’s response also supports the need and opportunity to improve management and operation rules around key pieces of infrastructure like the Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams in SE Queensland.

“Of particular importance is the opportunity to integrate into the operational rules for dams the more advanced computer modeling and simulation tools now available, as well as allowing some measure of judgment by well qualified and experienced engineers during floods.

“It should also be a priority that engineers be more closely integrated in regular training, planning and communication activities with the key organisations that will become interdependent for safer outcomes when a major flood event is emerging,” Weeks concluded.

Other recommendations by Engineers Australia include better design around community, commercial and residential assets, as well as better contingency planning and organisational processes to accelerate return-to-service of critical infrastructure.

The full comments are available at www.engineersaustralia.org.au/qld/flood_inquiry .

Media Contact: John Bright – 0407 234 490 / jbright@engineersaustralia.org.au

Engineers Australia is the peak representative body for the profession with over 93,000 members