Tell us how you were impacted by flooding
12 August 2022
Ipswich City Council is about to embark on a Listening Tour to hear first-hand how residents were impacted by floods in February and May this year.
The tour is part of the 2022 Ipswich Floods Review aimed at improving the city’s preparedness and response to future flood events.
Local Disaster Management Group Chair Mayor Teresa Harding said the personal experiences of those affected by the devastating floods will guide future flood response.
“We know another flood is inevitable, so we want to hear first-hand what residents went through and learn from them about how to best prepare for floods,” she said.
“No two floods are the same but when it comes to natural disasters, we want to get impacted residents and businesses back on their feet as quickly as possible.”
Local Disaster Management Group Deputy Chairperson Councillor Kate Kunzelmann said the experiences of those affected by the floods will provide a valuable insight to preparation for the next one.
“There are many ways the community can be supported during natural disasters like floods, but we want residents to also have input and share their stories and knowledge,” Cr Kunzelmann said.
“The two Ipswich flooding events this year damaged almost 600 dwellings, 300 businesses, more than 250 vehicles, as well as loss of livestock.
“We want to do whatever we can to avoid such devastation in the future.”
Local Disaster Management Group Deputy Chairperson Councillor Russell Milligan said council will hold four face to face community meetings across the city and has urged those with a story to tell to come along and have their say.
“Council allocated $30 million in its 2022-2023 Budget for flood recovery, but the focus of the Flood Review is to improve our preparation and response to future events, Cr Milligan said.
“We want the community to tell us how the floods affected them and give us their view about how we as a Council can help residents recover from the impact of natural disasters.”
As part of the 2022 Ipswich Floods Review, a report will be prepared and released to the community in December this year.
Details of the Listening Tour community events are:
- 31 August: Rosewood State School, School St Rosewood 6pm to 7.30pm
- 13 September: United Sports Club, Joyce St East Ipswich 6pm to 7.30pm
- 14 September: Goodna State School, Albert St Goodna 6pm to 7.30pm
- 15 September: Karalee State School, Arthur Summervilles Rd, Karalee 6pm to 7.30pm