| FLYER ISSUE 10:
OCTOBER 2021
| READ IN BROWSER https://archive.aweber.com/newsletter/awlist3776483/MTE0MTk4MzQ=/fma-flyer-10-october.htm
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NEXT FMA MEETING: COMBINED QLD + NSW/ACT CHAPTER MEETING 18 NOVEMBER ONLINE
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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Recently my son showed me a replay of a television series in Australia called “Utopia”.
The series is set inside the offices of the fictional “Nation Building Authority”, a typically bureaucratic government organisation responsible for overseeing major infrastructure projects ranging from roads and rail lines to airports and high rise urban developments. Throughout the series grand projects are frustrated by self-interest, publicity stunts, environmental legislation,
constant shifts in political priorities and bureaucracy. Consequently, nothing ever gets built.
Perhaps there are some real life Australian projects which have taken decades of investigation, studies and reports but have not yet started, or are only now beginning to take shape. Such as the “Inland Rail”, the western Sydney airport and, dare I say, raising Warragamba Dam for flood mitigation.
However, from my observation over the years, I have found that our dedicated FMA colleagues in government agencies, private corporations, consultants and councils are NOT like our fictitious friends in Utopia.
Unlike Utopia, you only have to look at the list of floodplain management projects in Australia to see there are a lot of significant projects underway in any given year.
The long list of conference papers shown on our FMA website contains hundreds of presentations on hundreds of floodplain management projects dating back to around 1995. As flood “nerds” we have a pretty good record of actually completing things rather than stalling things.
Nevertheless, I should mention that the most common factor in stopping or delaying some of our floodplain management projects over the years has been the seemingly unavoidable objections from some people in the community due to the “NIMBY” principle.
I can think of several examples of worthwhile projects such as levees where a lack of effective public consultation has led to years of delay and sometimes the objectors have stopped projects completely in their tracks.
The importance of a well planned public consultation process for any project cannot be over emphasised. It may take time but it’s time well spent.
Sir Isaac Newton told us that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction – so it is for every person in favour of any proposal, there is always someone against it.
Such is life, even in Utopia.
ID
Ian Dinham | FMA President
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2022 FMA NATIONAL CONFERENCE - CALL FOR ABSTRACTS NOW OPEN
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The 2022 Floodplain Management Australia National Conference will be held at Empire Theatre, Toowoomba, Queensland from Wednesday 18th to Friday 20th May 2022, with optional pre-conference workshops on Tuesday 17th May. For the first time, the Conference will be hybrid and include an online component for those attendees that are unable to travel.
The theme of the conference is “Integrated Floodplain Management: creating safer, stronger communities”, referencing Toowoomba Regional Council’s extensive program of flood studies and plans aimed at delivering a “Safer, Stronger, More Resilient Region”.
We are looking for a range of high quality presentations from across Australia, and overseas, dealing with riverine, overland and flash flooding, and coastal inundation. The content can be technical or non-technical to suit our varied audience, so you don’t need to be a “flood expert” to provide a presentation. The practical experiences of Councillors, flood committee members and
community representatives can be of real value to fellow conference attendees.
Tertiary students studying floodplain management or natural disaster management and Young Floodplain Managers are particularly encouraged to participate and share their experiences.
The subject of the presentation should align with one or more of the following topic areas:
· Modelling and flood data
· Flood prediction and warning
· Land use planning
· Infrastructure projects and asset management
· Flood policy, guidance and best practice
· Emergency preparedness, response and recovery
· Flood stories and case studies
· Environmental aspects, climate change, coastal hazards and adaptation
· New technology and research
· Flood damages and insurance
· Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Maori perspectives
· Social sciences, human behaviour and communication
For further information, as well as online abstract submission, please visit floodplainconference.com
Call for Abstracts Close Friday 26th November 2021
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UPCOMING FMA MEETING - 18 NOVEMBER
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As is the custom during recent times during travel restrictions and social distancing requirements, the FMA Quarterly Meetings and Workshops will be combined and convened online on Thursday 18 November at live.baxav.com.au/fma.
Over the course of the day, attendees will hear updates from the FMA Executive Committee, Young Floodplain Managers Committee members, the Insurance Council of Australia and government agency representatives from the Bureau of Meteorology, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Queensland Reconstruction Authority, VIC Department of Environment, Land, Water, and
Planning as well as the NSW and ACT State Emergency Services.
A virtual workshop will be held after the Meeting proper, featuring live encore presentations by prize-winning presenters from the 2021 FMA Conference.
So save the date of Thursday 18 November now and we look forward to seeing you then!
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Over the month of November the following YFM events will be taking place around Australia:
10 November
From Ideas to Abstracts: A Q+A Panel hosted by the FMA Young Floodplain Managers
Are you thinking of submitting an abstract for the FMA Conference but aren’t sure where to start?
Join us for a lunchtime Zoom Panel with industry specialists on Wednesday the 10th November at 12:30pm hosted by the YFM.
We’ll be discussing all things conference-related starting with how to choose an abstract topic and what makes a great paper.
Online registration is available at Eventbrite here.
20 November
Learning from the Past: Remembering Brisbane River Flooding Walking Tour
The YFM QLD committee are pleased to invite you on a ferry tour of the Brisbane River on Saturday 20th November, to reflect on historic flood events and the subsequent changes within the floodplain management industry.
Only a few spots remain! Register quickly at at Eventbrite here.
The Victorian Chapter of YFM will be holding a virtual trivia event mid-November also, so keep your eyes peeled for further details soon!
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FMA ACTIVITIES SPONSORS - CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
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FMA and the FMA Young Floodplain Managers regularly host various professional development and networking events including Quarterly Meetings, workshops, networking events, tours and webinars.
FMA is now seeking sponsors and partners to join us in delivering any or all of these activities.
If you are interested in discussing opportunities to work with FMA to improve the knowledge and skills of floodplain management practitioners, and raise the profile of your organisation, please contact Executive officer Glenn Evans: [email protected]
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INSURANCE COUNCIL RELEASES 2020-21 CATASTROPHE REPORT
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The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has released the Insurance Catastrophe Resilience Report: 2020-21.
The report outlines the significant impact of natural disasters on communities across four states, including the East Coast storms and floods, and the Victorian storms and floods. The report states “Natural disasters are by their very nature mostly unexpected and unforeseen, but that does not mean their risks and consequences cannot be protected against by appropriate policy settings
and targeted investment in mitigation.”
Policy responses suggested include investing in resilience, improving building quality and standards, better land use planning and operational adjustments within the insurance sector.
The ICA will provide a presentation on the report and the latest developments in flood insurance at the Online FMA Quarterly Meeting on 18 November.
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HAWKESBURY-NEPEAN YOUTH SERVICES RECEIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD FUNDING
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Winners of the 2021 FMA-NRMA Insurance Project of the Year Award, the NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) and Infrastructure NSW (INSW), are providing their $10,000 cash prize to Platform Youth Services.
The winning project was the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Community Resilience Program.
Given the higher probability of flood risk for those in low-lying areas and the additional complexities for young people at risk/rough sleeping, NSW SES and INSW have nominated the prize be utilised to support a targeted approach to build flood resilience in this community.
Platform Youth Services (platformys.org.au) is a dedicated youth support service that works across the Penrith and Hawkesbury LGAs. The service provides assertive youth outreach, case management, early intervention and youth refuges and transitional housing for young people at
risk.
Maree Abood, Head of Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Risk Management Directorate, said staff from Platform Youth Services have attended flood awareness training workshops in both Hawkesbury and Penrith, and have been early adopters of the communities of concern program objectives. Key staff at Platform are enthusiastic about increasing the capacity of their staff to
build disaster risk reduction into their workplace and increase flood preparedness amongst their client base.
“The existing relationship with client facing workers where trust and relationships are already in place is likely to increase the success of this work” Ms Abood said. “A key requirement of this work must focus on building flood awareness and preparedness for the sector and workers who support this target group, in order to address the sustainability of this work into the
future.”
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SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT ON THE PROPOSAL TO RAISE WARRAGAMBA DAM
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The Interim Report of the NSW Legislative Council Select Committee on the Proposal to Raise the Warragamba Dam
Wall has been released. This inquiry was established in June 2019 to inquire into and report on the NSW Government's proposal to raise the Warragamba Dam wall for flood mitigation.
The interim report was released before the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) exhibited the 7,500 page Environmental Impact Statement and accompanying documents for the project.
The report provides 16 recommendations including development of a comprehensive flood evacuation plan; implementation of flood mitigation strategies and planning policies to reduce the number of people, homes and businesses at risk from future catastrophic flooding; demonstrating how the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Assessment complies with all current guidelines; and the project not
proceed if the proposal cannot maintain or improve the current and future integrity of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
A detailed consideration of the Environmental Impact Statement will be dealt with in the Committee’s final report.
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FMA is running an FMA Member exclusive webinar series over the next few months. The presentations feature some of the most popular presentations from the 2021 Conference Program.
The current webinar available until 11 November is:
Smart Stormwater and Flash Flood Risk Management in the Illawarra Shoalhaven
Speakers: Isabelle Ghetti and Motiur Rahman, Wollongong City Council
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You will need to have registered for the Members' Section to view the webinars. If have not registered for access to the Members’ Section, or have forgotten your login details, contact [email protected].
If you aren’t an FMA Member, but are interested in joining our network of over 160 councils, catchment management authorities, organisations and flood risk professionals, visit floods.org.au/membership.
Also, don’t forget that you are able to access an archive of the 2020 FMA Webinar Series presentations in the Members’ Section of floods.org.au!
THIS WEEK IN DISASTER RESILIENCE
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Have you signed up to ‘This Week in Disaster Resilience’ yet?
It is a weekly round-up of disaster resilience issues from around the globe put together by Neil Dufty of FMA Member Molino Stewart.
If you are interested in receiving this useful newsfeed, head to https://www.molinostewart.com.au/this-week-in-disaster-resilience/ to register.
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The YFM will be hosting the following events in November:
10 November: From Ideas to Abstracts: A Q+A Panel hosted by the FMA Young Floodplain Managers
Registration at Eventbrite here.
20 November: Learning from the Past: Remembering Brisbane River Flooding Walking Tour
Registration at Eventbrite here
Mid-November Date TBC – Victorian Chapter Online Trivia Event
More details to come
Volunteer with Us!
Interested in helping develop early career professionals in the floodplain management industry? The YFM QLD committee is seeking new volunteers for 2022; particularly non-gineers or persons located beyond Brisbane. Commitment is often only a couple of hours each quarter. Contact [email protected] to indicate your interest.
Do you know who is on the YFM Committee in your state? Head to floods.org.au/yfm to check out the YFM bios and see who might be a familiar face!
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The FMA Flyer reaches a wide range of industry professionals from Australia and overseas, and if you have any recent projects or exciting news we would love to share it with our readers.
Send through details of your stories and we can include them in our upcoming issues by contacting [email protected].
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UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
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TRAVELLING CAPS AND BEANIES
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Do you have an FMA Cap or Beanie photo you'd like to share with Flyer readers?
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