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| Get Ready Queensland | |
|---|---|
| Name | Get Ready Queensland |
| Type | Public preparedness initiative |
| Formed | 2005 |
| Jurisdiction | Queensland, Australia |
| Parent agency | Queensland Reconstruction Authority |
Get Ready Queensland is a state-level disaster preparedness and community resilience initiative based in Queensland, Australia. It coordinates preparedness campaigns, community workshops, and public information resources to reduce harms from floods, cyclones, bushfires, heatwaves and other hazards. The program operates in partnership with local councils, emergency services agencies and non‑governmental organizations to integrate local planning, volunteer networks and public communication systems.
Get Ready Queensland operates across Queensland, engaging with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Emergency Management Queensland, Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors (Queensland), and local government bodies such as the Brisbane City Council and the Gold Coast City Council. The initiative targets hazard types including cyclones, floods, bushfires, and extreme heat events, linking to national frameworks like the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs preparedness guidance and the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. Delivery uses partnerships with organizations including the Red Cross, St John Ambulance Australia, State Emergency Service (SES), and volunteer networks such as the Rural Fire Service equivalents in Queensland.
Get Ready Queensland originated in the early 2000s following high-impact events such as the 2006 cyclone and the 2008 floods, with formal expansion after the 2010–2011 Queensland floods. Early development involved collaboration between the Beattie Ministry and recovery agencies, later involving the Bligh Ministry and the Palaszczuk Ministry for policy continuity. Reform milestones included coordination with the National Recovery and Resilience Agency and legislative changes influenced by inquiries into events like the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. Program evolution reflected lessons from international events such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, informing community preparedness and evacuation planning.
Primary objectives include increasing household preparedness, improving community evacuation planning, and strengthening local volunteer capacity. Programs offer workshops, planning templates, and hazard maps tied to resources from the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia, and the Floodplain Management Australia network. Initiatives include school-based education aligned with the Australian Curriculum, business continuity guidance for small enterprises registered with Business Queensland, and targeted outreach for vulnerable cohorts connected to services like Queensland Health and aged care providers under frameworks similar to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission standards.
Community engagement is delivered through partnerships with non-profits and civic institutions including the Australian Red Cross, The Salvation Army, Neighbourhood Watch Australasia, and local chambers of commerce such as the Brisbane Marketing network. The initiative collaborates with Indigenous organisations including representatives from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission legacy bodies and regional councils in the Torres Strait Islands. It works with academic partners at institutions like the University of Queensland, Griffith University, and the James Cook University for research, evaluation and training programs.
Governance structures align with state emergency management arrangements, linking to the State Disaster Management Group (Queensland), statutory authorities including the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, and recovery agencies like the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. Implementation uses community resilience frameworks promoted by the Council of Australian Governments and coordination mechanisms shared with federal entities such as the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. Funding streams have included state budget allocations, grants administered through bodies like Arts Queensland for community engagement, and philanthropic contributions coordinated with groups such as the Ian Potter Foundation.
Reported outcomes include increased household emergency plan uptake, more robust evacuation route planning in coastal and riverine communities, and strengthened volunteer registries within the State Emergency Service (SES). Evaluations conducted with universities and policy think tanks such as the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and the Grattan Institute have highlighted improvements in public awareness following campaigns tied to major events like the 2011 Brisbane floods and Cyclone Yasi. Data sharing with the Bureau of Meteorology and emergency services has enhanced early warning dissemination and local response coordination.
Critics have raised concerns about uneven resource allocation across remote regions including parts of the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Cape York Peninsula, gaps in reaching culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and variable integration with infrastructure planning overseen by bodies like Energy Queensland. Other challenges include sustaining volunteer capacity amid competing demands noted by organisations such as the Australian Volunteers Program and coordinating multi‑jurisdictional responses involving agencies like the Commonwealth of Australia and interstate partners such as New South Wales and Victoria.
Category:Emergency management in Queensland Category:Disaster preparedness programs in Australia