The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) manages the state’s program of infrastructure renewal and recovery. With a focus on working together with state and local government partners, QRA delivers best practice administration of public reconstruction and resilience funds. As lead state agency for disaster recovery, resilience and mitigation policy, QRA works with partners to reduce risk and improve disaster preparedness for Queensland communities.

Leading in a highly unpredictable disaster environment requires agile leadership that seeks to be both proactive in the absence of input, and highly responsive when faced with recovery and resilience challenges. Leading for recovery and resilience takes a systems approach, strategic thinking, strong governance and coordination, and awareness of the human impacts of disasters. Every community is different. Working together ensures priorities are locally-led, regionally-coordinated and state-facilitated. A recent flood example was firstly gaining temporary access to Ingham, simultaneously achieving permanent access and then delivering crucial resilience works at the Ingham substation.

Learning requires through observations, analysis and forecasting to inform and evolve how we see recovery and resilience issues. We learn, not from looking in the rearview mirror, but rather from emerging and potentially repeatable or enduring trends. QRA has been developing the Queensland Hazard and Risk Assessment Framework (QHRAF), a tool to assist councils in understanding the risks to their local assets. Another example is the Sustainable Asset Valuation initiative Tool (SAVi Tool) to understanding intangible benefits of investing in resilient infrastructure.

Adapting is the action taken after learning - once we have learned our lessons, we must evolve and adapt what we actually do. Examples of adaptation towards enhanced resilience include the Goondiwindi’s Levee evolution, and cattle mounds to protect livestock following flooding in North West Queensland.

Three Key Learnings
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) manages and coordinates Queensland’s program of recovery and reconstruction funding within disaster-impacted communities, and delivers best practice administration of public reconstruction and resilience funds.
1. Leading in unpredictable disaster scenarios requires strategic thinking, strong governance, and locally-driven solutions e.g. Ingham substation
2. QRA prioritises learning through analysis and forecasting to address emerging trends e.g. Queensland Hazard and Risk Assessment Framework (QHRAF), and Sustainable Asset Valuation initiative (SAVi Tool) support councils to assess risks and to value resilient infrastructure.
3. By applying lessons learned, QRA adapts to and drives long-term solutions, to improve resilience in Queensland communities e.g. Goondiwindi Levee, cattle mounds in North West Queensland.