Clarence Valley Council's Disaster Resilience Framework was labelled an 'innovative game changer' in disaster resilience and risk mitigation at the 2022 Local Government Awards Dinner in Sydney on 26 May.
Council recognised the need for a Disaster Resilience Framework in the immediate aftermath of the devastating Black Summer Bushfires. Furthermore, consultants were engaged to produce a Climate Change Impact Assessment (CCIA) which is embedded in the framework.
Acting General Manager Laura Black (pictured) received the Highly Commended Award for Innovative Leadership (population under 200,000) on behalf of Council. She said the framework provided an overarching objective of identifying the risks and vulnerabilities across the organisation from disaster impacts, both inherent and emerging.
"With innovation and strategic foresight, the Disaster Resilience Framework was developed to encourage a new way of thinking by decision-makers and inform policymakers," Ms Black said. "This was required to support leadership through risk management in the complex local government environment.
"The framework highlights climate change as the great risk amplifier that influences the occurrence of hazards, and creates emerging disaster risks, including compounding disasters.
"The Climate Change Impact Assessment is believed to be a first for an individual LGA, and it informs the framework's resilience strategies, risk mitigation infrastructure, and workplan actions."
Council used Commonwealth Bushfire Recovery Funding to engage a Recovery & Resilience Planning Coordinator to develop the framework, which is guided by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework.
View Clarence Valley Council's Disaster Resilience Framework here.
