Download the PDF

Description

Sarah Dean details a case study of Queensland local councils and assesses if funded programs deliver long-lasting community resilience.
Unprecedented hydro-meteorological events experienced during the 2010-11 ‘Summer of Disasters’ led to all 73 Queensland local governments being disaster-affected. To assist communities recover from these events and build resilience for the future, a $40 million Community Development and Recovery Package was activated by the Australian and Queensland governments, under Category C1 of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA). Queensland’s inaugural activation created a unique opportunity to explore the perceptions of participants about whether the program was effective in enhancing community resilience. The findings indicate that disaster recovery should be viewed within a broader framework of resilience. It identified the types of community development programs that can help people adapt, move forward and come together to develop skills and knowledge post disaster to enhance community capacity and resilience. Despite the program’s overall success, significant challenges were experienced. This paper advocates for a greater focus on disaster prevention and preparedness, as opposed to response and recovery, and makes several recommendations to ensure future opportunities to foster long-term community resilience to natural hazards in Queensland are maximised.

Publication Details

Published: July 2015
Published by: Australian Journal of Emergency Management
Authors: Sarah Dean
Post date: 1 December 2021