Six months since the second one-in-100-year flood in 11 years caused millions of dollars in damage and displaced hundreds, recovery efforts remain a priority for the Ipswich City Council.
Local Disaster Management Group chair Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the recovery plan to re-build is in full swing with almost 600 homes and 300 businesses severely damaged by the deluge of rain that fell across the city in February.
“Less than three months later Ipswich was flooded for a second time with quick recovery actions required in conjunction with ongoing and long-term recovery progressing,” Mayor Harding said.
“The Severe Weather February 2022 Recovery Plan was activated to identify what the community and whole of government could contribute to the recovery effort.
“Council has spent $7.2 million to date on flood recovery but we expect that figure to climb substantially higher in the months ahead, with $30 million allocated in the 2022-2023 council budget for recovery efforts.
“Some of that money has been spent on waste recovery with 6,847 tonnes of flood waste processed throughout the city, road repairs including 3,000 potholes and repairs to parks and sporting fields.”
Local Disaster Management Group Deputy chairperson Councillor Kate Kunzelmann said there is still much work to be done and the recovery phase is expected to take up to two years.
“Council has implemented several actions including the Ipswich Integrated Catchment Plan, which is the most detailed and comprehensive study undertaken in our city and goes above the recommendations from the Queensland Flood Commission of Inquiry,” Cr Kunzelmann said.
“The plan identified a suite of actions that would require collaboration between all levels of government and investment to make the region more flood resilient.
“We are committed to supporting those residents and I know many local community organisations are also helping in getting flood affected residents back on their feet as quickly as possible.
“Thank you to everyone who has pulled together to support each other and the council teams who are working hard to re-build our city after one of the biggest natural disasters to hit this area.”
Local Disaster Management Group deputy chairperson Councillor Russell Milligan said it is important the city becomes more resilient to natural disasters.
“Council welcomed the Federal and State Governments funding commitment of $741 million to the Resilient Homes Fund which will support a range of options for eligible Queensland homeowners including retrofitting or raising their home to be more resilient to flooding, or voluntary buy backs in areas of high risk,” Cr Milligan said.
“The Queensland Reconstruction Authority has commenced contact with those prioritised for voluntary home buy back, including 32 at Goodna.
“The size of the flood clean-up has been mammoth and there’s still a long road ahead for the many residents rebuilding their lives, and we are asking the community to come and have their say at one of our Listening Tour forums that will inform our 2022 Ipswich Floods Review.”
As part of the 2022 Ipswich Floods Review, a report will be prepared and released to the community in December this year.
