Wollondilly Council gives evidence at Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements

Wollondilly Council gave evidence at the Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Arrangements today, representing the community in relation to the Green Wattle Creek fire that confronted Wollondilly’s towns, villages and surrounding bushlands over summer. Council appeared at the public inquiry hearing into the responsibilities of local governments concerning natural disaster risk mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Under the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 Local Government plays a pivotal role in all stages of an emergency. The extreme bushfire season of 2019-20 impacted a significant proportion of the country, resulting in overwhelming damage to homes, infrastructure, natural environment and wildlife as well as loss of life. Mayor Matthew Deeth said, “Wollondilly was hit hard by the Green Wattle Creek fire, and our community didn’t have time to recover before we were hit by floods and Covid-19.” “It is important that we take this opportunity to reflect on what has happened, what worked well and what could have been done better during the catastrophic conditions we experienced.” “Evacuation during the peak of the bushfire was a major issue for the residents of Wollondilly. There is a downfall in the planning process where the impact of extra homes being built in our towns has not been considered in relation to the capacity of evacuation routes,” he said. “Overall, there is not enough investment in evacuation routes. The problem would have been avoided if a Picton bypass had been in place.” “We can’t go to into the next fire season without a commitment from the State Government to funding the Picton bypass. This is a huge issue - people’s lives are at stake,” he said.

The Commission was established in February 2020 with a focus on national natural disaster arrangements and how they are coordinated with the states and territories. The inquiry will consider the legal framework for Commonwealth involvement in responding to natural disasters. The terms of reference for the inquiry acknowledge that the changing global climate carries risks for the Australian environment and Australia’s ability to prevent, mitigate and respond to bushfires and other natural disasters. The terms of reference state, “that Australia as a nation must take action, including the development and implementation of adaptation actions, to address the consequences of longer, hotter, drier seasons and severe weather events.” It is recognised that the focus on national coordination will give Australians confidence that natural disaster coordination arrangements are the best they can be. The Commission will draw information from a variety of sources, including public submissions and hearings. The Commission will deliver a final report by the end of August 2020.