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DISASTER RECONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING 2022 RAIN EVENT - FEBRUARY 2024 UPDATE

Disaster Reconstruction Coordinator, Julie Calvert · Infrastructure Services Department

Executive summary

During the south-east Queensland rainfall and flooding event between 22 March and 5 April 2022, the Noosa Council area was greatly impacted, requiring a significant response to the disaster. After the initial assessment, support from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) was activated, allowing for financial relief measures to be offered under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement (DRFA), which include: • Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets (REPA) • Betterment Grants (with co-contribution from Council). The focus of this report is a status report on these disaster reconstruction capital works across the shire and an update on funding recovery, which is substantial. Council also opted to receive funds from other grant funds offered via Exceptional Circumstances Grant assistance, which include: • Clean-up Grant • Local Recovery and Resilience Grant (LRRG) • Recreation and Community Grant (R&CG) • Flood Risk Monitoring Grant (FRM) • Resilient Homes Fund – Voluntary Home Buy-Back. The additional programs have not been specifically addressed in this report, and subject to separate status reporting.

Recommendation

That Council note the report by the Reconstruction Coordinator to the Ordinary Meeting dated 15 February 2024 providing an update on the progress of disaster reconstruction resulting from the 2022 flood event.

Report

Background

The Disaster Recovery Funding Agreement and Exceptional Circumstances grants are joint-funding arrangements from state and federal governments and administered by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. The Reconstruction of Essential Public Assets allows for significant reconstruction of damaged essential assets such as roads, returning them to functional use similar to that prior to the disaster event. The other grants allow for reconstruction of other assets not considered to be essential but that are important to the community. The current allocation of funds allowable for cost recovery for Noosa Council is $148m. This includes $10m in betterment grants to improve two sites and better protect them in future events. The current program scope of work is as follows:

Delivery To assist staff in delivering this work program, external resources (project team) were engaged to lead this work. This has allowed Council staff to focus on business as usual and deliver other strategic plans. The dedicated project team consists of: • Program Coordinators (1.5 private contractors) • Engineering program management (Northlane Consulting Engineers) Staff resources have been allocated, as required, to ensure strategic alignment of the processes and asset outcomes to Council objectives. These have mostly been in the areas of contract superintendent, procurement, and site quality supervision. The project team has been tasked with the following key priorities:

Priority

Status to date Asset is to be cost recoverable using the DRFA/Exceptional Circumstance Grants with no unapproved cost from Council budget. The reconstructed asset must return the infrastructure to functional use, with no increase on future maintenance costs. Where possible, leverage works to allow Council to contribute to improvements to the infrastructure. Deliver works with considered approach to community impact yet within agreed period allowable by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. Additional to the dedicated project team is the Civil Operations Grading Crew, who has undertaken the repair of over nearly 60 roads in the region. This work in 2023 was additional to their existing grading and asphalt program.

Progress Status The majority of sites impacted are in the hinterland region. Through most of 2022, the project team focused on ensuring all impacted infrastructure was safe for continued use while necessary engineering, testing, surveying, design work and funding was secured. During 2023, the project team commenced tendering of works and construction. The current program progress status reported to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority is at 48% completed. By May 2024, this will significantly increase, with only five sites remaining to construct. Work currently in progress / completed to date are outlined in Attachment 1.

LEGEND

Symbol: Pin: Point of Interest Waterfall: Stormwater infrastructure Mountain: Landslide Bridge: Bridge build

Status: Blue: Completed Green: In progress Amber: Emerging Risk Red: Escalated due to risk Black: Construction yet to commence The program also allows for the delivery of various other projects funded by the Extraordinary Circumstances Grants. The largest is the stabilisation of the landslip at Twin Hills Lookout located at Black Pinch Road. However, staff and the project team also continue to deliver the smaller value, but impactful projects that support the community of Noosa.

Report details

Index: ECM / Subject / Disaster Management / Recovery