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Recent Trends in and Preparedness for Extreme Weather Events The Senate Environment and Communications References Committee Recent trends in and preparedness for extreme weather events August 2013 © Commonwealth of Australia 2013 ISBN 978-1-74229-899-3 This document was printed by the Senate Printing Unit, Parliament House, Canberra Committee membership Committee members Senator Simon Birmingham (LP, SA) (Chair) Senator Doug Cameron (ALP, NSW) (Deputy Chair) Senator Catryna Bilyk (ALP, TAS) Senator the Hon Ron Boswell (NATS, QLD) Senator Anne Ruston (LP, SA) Senator Larissa Waters (AG, QLD) Participating members Senator Richard Di Natale (AG, VIC) Senator Christine Milne (AG, TAS) Senator Lee Rhiannon (AG, NSW) Committee secretariat Ms Sophie Dunstone, Committee Secretary Ms Toni Matulick, Committee Secretary Mr Tim Watling, Committee Secretary Ms Sophie Power, Principal Research Officer Mr Chris Lawley, Senior Research Officer Ms Nerissa Stewart, Research Officer Mrs Dianne Warhurst, Administrative Officer Dr Ruth Edwards, Administrative Officer Committee address PO Box 6100 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Tel: 02 6277 3526 Fax: 02 6277 5818 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.aph.gov.au/senate_ec iii iv Table of Contents Committee membership ................................................................................... iii Recommendations .............................................................................................vii Abbreviations and acronyms ............................................................................ ix Chapter 1 - Introduction and background ....................................................... 1 Conduct of the inquiry ............................................................................................ 1 Acknowledgement .................................................................................................. 2 Structure of report ................................................................................................... 2 Background ............................................................................................................. 3 Chapter 2 - Recent trends and projections on the frequency of extreme weather events ................................................................................ 27 What is 'extreme weather'? ................................................................................... 27 Trends and projections on the frequency of extreme weather events .................. 29 Uncertainties in future projections ....................................................................... 49 Chapter 3 - Costs and impacts of extreme weather events ........................... 61 Financial costs of extreme weather events ........................................................... 61 Impacts on industry .............................................................................................. 78 Impacts on infrastructure ...................................................................................... 80 Health impacts of extreme weather events ........................................................... 81 Social impacts of extreme weather events ........................................................... 86 Impacts on natural ecosystems ............................................................................. 90 Chapter 4 - Preparing for extreme weather events ....................................... 95 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 95 General preparedness ............................................................................................ 96 Infrastructure ...................................................................................................... 104 The health sector ................................................................................................. 118 Emergency services ............................................................................................ 124 Chapter 5 - Developing a national response to extreme weather: coordination, roles and responsibilities ........................................................ 135 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 135 v The division of responsibilities between different levels of government .......... 135 Developing effective coordination between governments ................................. 143 Australian Greens' Additional Comments ................................................... 169 Appendix 1 - Submissions, form letters, tabled documents, additional information, correspondence and answers to questions taken on notice .. 173 Appendix 2 - Public hearings ......................................................................... 189 Appendix 3 - Recommendations from Productivity Commission Inquiry Report on Barriers to Effective Climate Change Adaptation .................... 193 vi Recommendations Recommendation 1 2.115 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth government, through the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO, continues to support data collection and research to improve forecasting of extreme weather events, especially early warning capabilities. Recommendation 2 2.117 The committee recommends that the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO continue to improve projections and forecasts of extreme weather events at a more local level. Recommendation 3 2.119 The committee notes the linkage between climate change and extreme weather events and recommends that the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO conduct further research to increase understanding in the areas of: • the interaction between large-scale natural variations, climate change and extreme weather events; • the impacts of climate change on rainfall patterns and tropical cyclones; and • that Australia cooperatively engage, where appropriate, with international research initiatives in these areas. Recommendation 4 3.60 The committee recommends that disincentives to insurance, such as taxes and levies applied by the states and territories, should be removed as part of a national reform process. Recommendation 5 3.109 The committee recommends relevant authorities work with community service organisations in both planning responses to and responding to extreme weather events, in particular those organisations that provide vital services to vulnerable groups. Recommendation 6 4.104 The committee recommends that credible and reliable flood mapping activities and the development of other information that would best inform landowners or prospective landowners of potential risks from extreme weather events are prioritised and used to inform land use planning laws. Recommendation 7 4.106 The committee recommends that building codes incorporate mitigation measures that take into account foreseeable risks from extreme weather events. vii Recommendation 8 4.171 The committee recommends that Commonwealth, state and territory governments ensure that all facilities caring for vulnerable groups, in particular hospitals, schools, childcare and aged care facilities, have emergency management plans, relevant to their geographic settings, in place and regularly revised. Recommendation 9 5.61 The committee recommends that Australian governments specifically address issues of compatibility and capacity to facilitate the most effective interoperability of emergency service organisations and their key personnel, especially for fire services. Recommendation 10 5.136 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth government works with state and territory governments to continue to implement the recommendations of the Productivity Commission report, where possible, to improve coordination in relation to climate change adaptation. viii Abbreviations and acronyms ACOSS Australian Council of Social Service ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation ACF Australian Conservation Foundation ACT Australian Capital Territory Adaptation National Climate Change Adaptation Framework Framework Adaptation Adapting to Climate Change: An Australian Government Position Position Paper Paper AFAC Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council AFPA Australian Forest Products Association AGD Attorney-General's Department AGDRP Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment AHPPC Australian Health Protection Principal Committee ALGA Australian Local Government Association AMA Australian Medical Association AMSTECI Association for Mitigation Studies for Top End Cyclones Inc. AMTA Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association ANEDO Australian Network of Environmental Defender's Offices ANRA Australian National Retailers Association APS Australian Psychological Society ARC Australian Research Council AusMATs Australian Medical Assistance Teams BITRE Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics BTE Bureau of Transport Economics ix BoM Bureau of Meteorology Bushfire CRC Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre CAHA The Climate and Health Alliance CCWA Conservation Council of Western Australia CFA Country Fire Authority COAG Council of Australian Governments CRCS The Centre for Risk and Community Safety CSIRO Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation CSO community service organisations DBCDE Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy DCCEE Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency DEA Doctors for the Environment Australia DIICCSRTE Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education DIRS Disaster Income
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