| FLYER ISSUE 2: FEBRUARY
2021
| READ IN BROWSER https://archive.aweber.com/newsletter/awlist3776483/MzcwMjA0OA==/fma-flyer-2-february.htm
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NEXT FMA MEETING: FMA ONLINE NATIONAL CONFERENCE 27 MAY 2021
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
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We have just held another successful Quarterly Meeting online and I want to thank everyone for the fantastic manner in which we all have adjusted to virtual Meetings at FMA.
One year ago we were worried about the impact of COVID-19 on our FMA Conference, our Meetings and our operations across the board. The world was grappling with what it would mean for every person and every organisation.
The pandemic has led FMA to make the change to working in the virtual world and pleasingly it has worked extremely well. The willingness of Members has made our transition successful. Even our Members overseas have been able to join us with Mark Forrest from the USA and Sharyn Westlake in New Zealand joining our Quarterly Meeting this month.
Also the Call for Abstracts has once again been outstanding and we can confidently look forward to another excellent Conference in May this year.
Last year, we had about 800 of you log onto our Online Conference and I anticipate a similar event this year with the added feature of separate 'face-to-face' dinner gatherings in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne during the Conference week.
Meanwhile, our FMA Executive has been working hard behind the scenes to prepare for the Conference via TEAMS meetings online.
Thank you for adapting to these changes and whilst we look forward to one day having our full in-person Conferences back again, it is a credit to all of you for continuing your involvement with the FMA network and sharing your experiences with the wide world of Floodplain Management.
ID
Ian Dinham | FMA President
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EXCELLENCE AWARDS NOW OPEN - FMA CONFERENCE 2021
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As announced by IAG's Andrew Dyer at the February FMA Meeting, the 2021 FMA Excellence Awards are now OPEN!
FMA’s nation-wide Excellence Awards publicly recognise the outstanding contribution of FMA organisations and individuals towards promoting wise land use planning, reducing flood impacts, managing flood incidents or restoring communities after a flood event.
The winners of the 2021 Excellence Awards will be announced at the FMA Online National Conference.
The FMA Excellence Awards are the highlight of our National Conference each year, and they offer the invaluable opportunity to showcase the incredible work professionals in the field of flood risk management have undertaken in the past 24 months.
The Excellence Awards are split into two categories:
FMA-NRMA Insurance Flood Risk Management Project of the Year - Nominations are open to any current Full, Associate, Corporate, Professional, Individual or Student FMA Member.
What is the Prize?
Winner - $10,000 cash prize to be used for a purpose related to flood risk management or flood risk education plus Crystal Trophy plus Luxury Hamper
Highly Commended – Two FMA National Conference and Workshop Registrations for 2022 plus Crystal Trophy plus Luxury Hamper.
FMA-Allan Ezzy Flood Risk Manager of the Year Award - Nominations are open to any current FMA Member, or individual who is an employee or representative of an FMA Member.
What is the Prize?
Winner – A Full Three Day Registration to the 2022 FMA Conference and Pre-Conference Workshops to be held at Toowoomba, QLD plus Crystal Trophy plus Luxury Hamper.
You can download the information sheets and nomination forms online at floods.org.au/ea.
Nominations close Friday 26th March 11.59pm.
The 2019 recipients of the Awards were:
FMA-NRMA Insurance Flood Risk Management Project of the Year:
Winner - Bureau of Meteorology + Tweed Shire Council + Tumbulgum Community Association + NSW Office of Environment and Heritage + NSW SES for Development and Implementation of a Flood Warning and Response Service for Tumbulgum.
Highly Commended - Brisbane City Council for Flood Resilient Homes Program.
FMA-Allan Ezzy Flood Risk Manager of the Year:
Winner - Peter Garland.
If you have any questions about the Excellence Awards, please get in touch with Dominique Jovanovic at [email protected].
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ONLINE FEBRUARY QM WRAP UP - BoM PRESENTATION NOW AVAILABLE
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FMA’s third online Quarterly Meeting on 18 February provided a packed program of 17 speakers from the FMA Executive and Young Floodplain Managers, Queensland, NSW and Victorian agencies plus the Bureau of Meteorology.
The Bureau’s Justin Robinson and Jess Carey provided a particularly informative update covering the wet season rainfall, and an explanation of the climate influences – El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) and Southern Annular Mode (SAM). So popular was the presentation that we have made it available at
here the FMA website.
Thank you to all presenters! Notes of the meeting will be available shortly if you missed any details.
Also, thank you to FMA Communications Director Sue Ribbons who facilitated the afternoon Workshop Community Resilience Program for the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley, featuring Alison White, Holly Langler and Maddy Dignam (Flood Risk Management Strategy Directorate - Communications Team, Infrastructure NSW) plus panel members Elizabeth Gardiner, Peter Cinque and Nicole Hogan (NSW
SES).
The educational video produced by the team is particularly powerful, and you can see it at the NSW SES website www.ses.nsw.gov.au/hawkesbury-nepean-floods.
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NSW GOVERNMENT FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT GRANTS OPEN
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The 2021-22 funding round for the NSW Government’s floodplain management grants are now open. Applications can be made under 4 independent project stages:
Stage 1: Flood Study
Preparation of a flood study, including data collection.
Stage 2: Floodplain Risk Management Study
Preparation or review of a floodplain risk management study and plan.
Stage 3: Feasibility Study
Investigation, design and/or feasibility study (where required) for works and new flood warning systems identified in a floodplain risk management plan. This stage must be undertaken for all new flood warning systems and for works projects that are likely to exceed a total implementation cost of $500,000 ex GST.
Stage 4: Implementation
Implementation actions identified in a floodplain risk management plan or have completed the requirements of a Stage 3 project, this includes but not limited to:
- Structural works, such as levees, detention basins, flood gates and improved flow conveyance
- Flood warning systems
- Evacuation management
- Voluntary purchase or house raising.
To apply for a grant, you will need to read the guidelines and submit the application through the new online Grants Management System.
Applications close 5pm 18th March 2021.
You can find more information at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/water/floodplains/floodplain-management-grants.
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WATER MODELLING SOLUTIONS DIVERSITY AWARDS
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FMA Member Water Modelling Solutions was recently awarded Engineers Australia’s ‘Most Ambitious Company in Gender Diversity’ for 2020.
FMA would like to celebrate their achievement, and the following article has been submitted by Water Modelling Solutions regarding their win.
Water Modelling Solutions is proud member of Floodplain Management Australia. Blake Boulton founded Water Modelling Solutions (WMS) in 2012 and was joined by Monika Balicki as a Director and 50% shareholder in 2015. Blake and Monika seek to drive the development of water engineering and provide engineers with the opportunity to be part of a changing workforce. The judges were
particularly impressed by the following aspects of our submission:
- Small businesses account for 42% of the field of Professional, Scientific and Technical services. It is therefore vital that small businesses make just as much progress in regards to Gender Diversity as large businesses. However, small businesses do not have the resources to develop custom policies and
procedures. Instead, we have made great progress by agreeing on a set of values and living these values day in and day out. We make no exceptions!
- Being small we can easily share experiences in a very personal way. Through storytelling, we are able to share our experiences of where the industry has performed poorly, where things have been done well and where things have changed. We have also shared our experience of gender bias and where we should
have spoken up and have or have not.
- One of our key focusses has been to develop confidence in business relationship building skills at an early career stage. We do this by involving young women engineers in all aspects of business development and client meetings. Often these early interactions are led by other senior
women.
To find out more about Water Modelling Solutions, and their work visit watermodelling.com.au.
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FLOOD MANAGEMENT STRATEGY PORT PHILLIP AND WESTERNPORT CONSULTATION ON DRAFTS
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The Flood Management Strategy is a 10-year strategy that sets out how flood management agencies work together to manage flood risks - before, during and after flood. FMA Member Melbourne Water is leading a ‘refresh’ of the strategy with their partners including local and state government, water authorities and emergency
services organisations that have flood management responsibilities in the region.
Community consultation on the draft Strategy will be open until 21 March 2021 via this YourSay link https://yoursay.melbournewater.com.au/flood-management-strategy?mc_cid=c997ec7237&mc_eid=86ec112ca2.
For more information on Melbourne Water, visit melbournewater.com.au.
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FLOOD COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE EVENT IN MARCH
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The Flood Community of Practice is hosting an event focusing on 10 Years Post the QLD-Wide Flooding of 2011 – Who has done what, and why? this March.
Details
What: 10 Years Post the QLD-Wide Flooding of 2011 – Who has done what, and why?
When: Thursday, 4 March
Time: 1.15pm – 6pm AEST
Where: QUT E Block – Level 5, 149 Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove QLD 4061
RSVP/Register: Online, details at www.eventbrite.com.au/e/ten-years-post-the-qld-wide-flooding-of-2011-who-has-done-what-and-why-tickets-141102077111
The day will concentrate on both celebrating the collective post-flood effort, as well as mapping the breadth and depth of resilience building activity.
Speakers will include:
Mike Lollback – Local Government Association of Queensland
Collin Sivalingum – Australian Red Cross
Skye Downey – Queensland Reconstruction Authority
Vicki Brady – Environmental Specilialist in Energy Sector
Gavin Winter – Viser Manager at QUT.
For more information about the Flood Community of Practice, please visit floodcop.com.au.
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The Queensland chapter of the Young Floodplain Managers hosted an event on the 25th of February which focused on fostering collaboration for floodplain management success. Attendees heard from Ella Harrison of WMA Water and Graeme Milligan, two highly distinguished floodplain practitioners. Both presenters spoke about their own experiences
in collaborating effectively across a range of projects and provided the attendees with advice for how they can foster more meaningful, successful and engaging collaborative practices in the early stages of their careers.
Some of the main standout points from both presentations included:
- Collaboration is people focused and is fostered through support, teamwork, effective communication, building trust, motivating each other, inspiring each other and working towards shared goals;
- The power of emotional intelligence and active listening in communicating effectively, understanding motivations/agendas in engagements, and individual challenges;
- Build an appreciation of other professional disciplines and learn the fundamentals to what drives/motivates them;
- Avoid using professional jargon to make sure everyone is one the same page; and
- Collaborating effectively will help diversify your professional network and provide you with contacts that you can call upon.
In addition, Sydney YFM hosted drinks at the Aurora Hotel following the February Quarterly Meeting. We had a great turnout of about 25 YFMs across a range of consultancies and Councils.
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YFM Members networking in Sydney last month.
To find out more about the network of Young Floodplain Managers and how to join, visit floods.org.au/yfm.
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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