FORFEIT OR PLAY ON: AUSTRALIA DAY AND NATURAL DISASTERS

Amy Cupitt, Director, Events CoordinationQueensland Department of the Premier and

Cabinet

• Australia Day 2011

• The floods!

• How we responded

• Lessons learnt

Queensland Australian of the Year Awards Regional Parliament

Queensland’s Day Out Community Cabinet

Premier’s Seniors Christmas Concerts Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards Government Pavilion at the Brisbane Show Multifaith ceremonies Premier’s Awards for Excellence in PublicSector Management DPC Achievement Awards

Australia Day Queensland Reconciliation Awards

Citizenship Ceremonies Queensland WeekQueensland Greats Awards Building Revival Forum

Queensland Disaster Heroes program

Australia Day 2011:

•Australia Day lunch•Australia Day Multi faith ceremony•Australia Day flag raising ceremony•Australia Day festival•Australia Day AusSounds Concert•Australia Day Ambassadors Program•Visions of Australia project•Australia Day regional program•Australia Day thank you function

SUMMER TIMELINEDecember – torrential rains and flooding damage crops and close a coal mine. Six people die.25 December – Tropical Cyclone Tasha makes landfall near Cairns in the early hours of Christmas Day, bringing rainfall of six to 10 inches.28 December – disaster declared in several southern Queensland towns, where flooding prompts mass evacuations. 30 December – the town of Bundaberg experiences its worst flooding in decades, with 300 homes inundated.2 January – floods affect 22 towns as the crisis reaches ‘biblical’ proportions. 3 January – residents of Rockhampton flee their homes as the city of 75 000 is almost entirely cut off by rising flood waters.

TIMELINE CONTINUED…

10 January – flash floods smash the mountainside town of Toowoomba and surrounding areas.

11 January – flood threat to Brisbane worsens,as volumes of water far exceeding catastrophic 1974 flow towards the city

13 January – Brisbane River peaks at 4.46m, lower than expected.

YouTube - QLD Flood Tribute SOO1

Lessons learnt• Natural disasters are unpredictable.• Good planning, systems and processes.• Keep the communication channels flowing.• Your contacts will be your saviour!• It’s not just about you and your event.• Relationships, relationships, relationships!• Go to the top to ensure you get the right answer the first time.

Lessons learnt• Natural disasters are unpredictable.• Good planning, systems and processes.• Keep the communication channels flowing.• Your contacts will be your saviour!• It’s not just about you and your event.• Relationships, relationships, relationships!• Go to the top to ensure you get the right answer the first time.