IGEM Report 1: 2017-18 - THE CYCLONE DEBBIE REVIEW

Inspector-General Emergency Management

Finer-grained information The development of contextualised information will assist the public to understand the nature of the event, as well as the risks and consequences attached to various potential scenarios.

It is important that people are given clear information about the consequences of their decisions and actions they choose to take. As one practitioner reflected, “it’s about managing the expectations when the lights do go out.” The management of expectations underpins the Sunshine Coast messaging sent to their local community before Debbie’s weather arrived:

Themes

“Disaster resilience is a shared responsibility and individuals must take appropriate actions to ensure their safety during disaster events. All Sunshine Coast residents should be prepared to survive at least 3 days without assistance during disaster events.”

Authoritative point of truth

Authority and consistency The unpredictable nature of events

This increases the risk that people may put themselves in danger by following poor advice. This is particularly pertinent when considering the community survey results, which emphasise community reliance on the Bureau’s data. Our community survey showed people already use a range of sources, some providing information of varying accuracy and content. State authority At both a state and local level there must be the capacity to distil information and then coordinate consistent messaging using agreed words that tell the community what they seek. As we have highlighted, previously the CCN has been pivotal in managing these issues. While we know it is not possible to control all information by non-authoritative sources, the more that state and local agencies deliver consistent and timely advice, the more likely they will become the “point of truth” for the public.

Finding Consistent messaging across entities is essential to ensure community

demands a communication system that provides clear and consistent information on what is known, and one that is delivered consistently by all parties. We were told of a number of examples where information being provided to the public by an “authoritative” source, conflicted with similar messaging from another “authoritative” source. One council experienced backlash from community members when their data and the Bureau’s data did not “match up,” resulting in some distrust in the council’s information. Feedback from mayors was that messages needed to be updated more quickly. Particularly at the transition to recovery, they saw a need for consistent messaging about their local area being “open for business.” The establishment of a “point of truth” was often expressed to us as pivotal in reducing errant or inaccurate reporting. If there is a gap or inconsistency in information from an authoritative source, it creates confusion, can erode confidence in the authorities, and cause the community to seek information from less valid or reliable sources in order to fill the information void.

confidence and to enable a well-informed community.

Recommendation A Local Government Association of Queensland representative should be included on the Crisis Communications Network to enhance the delivery of consistent information across and between levels of government. Finding Given the pivotal role that the media plays during disaster events, there is a clear need for coordinated messaging coming from councils and agencies to reduce the risk of inaccurate information being broadcast. One of the key roles of the Crisis Communication Network is to monitor the media and correct inaccuracies. The full utilisation of the Network may have been beneficial.

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The Cyclone Debbie Review

Lessons for delivering value and confidence through trust and empowerment