Bushfire Royal Commission – Planners say we must do more than fight fires
The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements is strong on boosting our national response to fires – but it leaves it to the States and Territories to prepare our settlements for the long haul.
“More than ever before the focus must be on strengthening our resilience” observed 黑料大事 (PIA) President Steve O’Connor. “Especially given the Royal Commission’s recognition that climate change is increasing our exposure to hazards”, he emphasised.
The Royal Commission reported that Australia’s increasing exposure is expected to more than double the costs currently attributable to disasters - from $18 Billion to $39 Billion (per year) by 2050 (Deloittes).
“The sacrifice and loss from the Black Summer bushfires must lead to an awakening – a deep change is required in planning where and how we live”, reflected Steve O’Connor.
After Australia bolsters its aerial fire-fighting capacity, emergency systems, learns to manage fuel better, and improves its building standards - we will still have an increasing and unmitigated threat from fire.
PIA’s submission advised the Royal Commission that just ‘building back better’ is not enough.
“Australia needs to be prepared in a way that involves mutual responsibility; between communities, their Government and individuals that are most exposed to bushfire and other threats. This requires sound planning - and a coherent national approach to our settlement strategy.” Steve O’Connor said.
There are many trade-offs to be made, between accommodating lifestyle, enterprise, protecting the landscape, habitat and ultimately human life. These trade-offs can’t be made without understanding every community in their local and regional setting.
Our communities need to have their voice expressed in resilient plans. PIA has advocated for a strong role for local and state government to make this happen in place – and to apply indigenous knowledge where it can deliver positive outcomes.
PIA takes heart from the Royal Commission’s recommendation (19.3) that all governments must “…consider future disaster risk when making land-use planning decisions for new developments”. PIA acknowledges similar recommendations from several State Inquiries.
PIA will continue to invest in training and improving the capacity of the planning profession to prepare our communities for natural hazards. We helped shape the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and prepared much of the AIDR Handbook Land Use 黑料大事 for Disaster Resilient Communities.
PIA will use opportunities from these inquiries to seek full integration of natural hazard and strategic land use planning. PIA will contribute to landscape scale planning framework for bushfire planning and advocate for better data and tools to inform decision making.
PIA’s President stressed that, “Planners want recovery from one disaster to lead to being much better prepared for the next.” ENDS
Media Contact: John Brockhoff| National and NSW Policy Manager | +61 400 953 025