FMA February Meetings

 

Another very full meeting of FMA’s Queensland Chapter on 15 February received updates from the FMA Executive and representatives of the Flood Community of Practice, National Flood Risk Advisory Group, Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Bureau of Meteorology, the Council of South East Queensland Mayors’ Resilient Rivers Initiative, and Polyfabrics Australia showcasing its innovative rapidly deployed flood prevention/diversion technology.

 

After lunch Karl Sullivan, General Manager Risk, Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), provided an overview of flood insurance from 2007, when flood insurance was generally not available, to the present day when 94.7% of house insurance policies now have flood provisions.

 

Issues discussed included ICA’s National Flood Information Database, the availability of flood insurance, pricing of risk, and benefits to policy holders of flood mitigation works.

 

Susan Mercer Nightingale, Director Policy and Statutory Planning, Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Local Government then led a very comprehensive Workshop on the new Planning Act 2016, and the compensation provisions. Sound land use planning is a key element of reducing future flood risk, and it was great to see some new Land Use Planning faces among the participants at the meeting.

 

 

 

The Bureau of Meteorology was the venue once again for FMA’s latest NSW/ACT Chapter Meeting this month.

 

The Meeting received an excellent number of flood risk professionals from around the State, (and South Australia and Victoria), including a number of Councillors and local government representatives.

 

The agenda for the day was very comprehensive, featuring updates from the Executive Committee, NSW State Emergency Service, Bureau of Meteorology, Office of Environment and Heritage, 2017 Conference hosts, Insurance Council of Australia and interstate FMA Members, which provided attendees with a snapshot of the FRM field over the past three months. 

 

The Meeting also included not one, but two Workshops; Freeboard – Why, When and How Much? and The New Australian Rainfall and Runoff – What to Do Now with Studies. The Workshops proved very popular with a full room, and lively discussion surrounding the topics.