- The 2024 Queensland Resilient Australia Awards recognised community, business, government and health organisations building disaster resilience.
- Winners across five categories announced last night at an Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience event in Brisbane.
- Award winning initiatives include Wujal Wujal's flood recovery, disaster preparedness for Queenslanders with a disability and agricultural sector resilience.
Not-for-profit organisation GIVIT was a winner at the 2024 Queensland Resilient Australia Awards in Brisbane overnight for its management of donated essential goods and services critical to the recovery of Wujal Wujal residents displaced by last year's record flooding.
Townsville City Council brings home the Local Government Award for building disaster resilience in the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
Aurecon, Port of Brisbane and Queensland Investment Corporation took out the Business category with an Australian-first resilience assessment of infrastructure risk and hazard vulnerability.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries secured the Government resilience award for its work planning farmers' business resilience.
Burnett Respite Services' Carinbundi received the Mental Health and Wellbeing award, recognising a collaboration with Bundaberg Regional Council to build disaster preparedness and resilience in adults with a disability.
Carinbundi's Tina Marshall's image Looking out for your Mates, promoting resilience and preparedness won the People's Choice Photography Award.
Highly commended organisations include Southern Downs Regional Council for embedding disability inclusion in disaster management, the Australian Red Cross First Nations Recovery Group and Spatial Innovation's Lockyer Valley flood information portal.
The Queensland Resilient Australia Awards are an initiative of the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, in partnership with Suncorp and the Miles's Government's Get Ready Queensland program.
State winners will progress to the National Resilient Australia Awards, announced later this year.
As stated by Minister for Disaster Recovery Nikki Boyd:
"I want to thank our remarkable Award winners for their community spirit and commitment to building disaster preparedness and resilience where it's needed most.
"We know in Queensland when it comes to natural disasters, it's not a matter of if but when, making resilience and recovery an essential part of our way of life.
"These award winners are inspirational with experience showing the more prepared and resilient we are, the more likely bouncing back quickly from extreme weather becomes.
"From reconstruction to individual wellbeing, there's more to do on recovery while we Get Ready for the next disaster season.
"Because the safety of Queenslanders is what matters to the Miles Government."
As stated by QRA CEO Major General Jake Ellwood (Retd):
"To help others become more resilient, and to build resilience in this state, is a truly noble act worth applauding.
"As Queenslanders we are at our best when we are lifting each other up, and the individuals, organisations and initiatives celebrated through these awards are symbolic of that.
"Those prepared for severe weather are the ones who recover faster, so it's fantastic to see disaster resilience become more ingrained in our collective mindset.
"A big congratulations to this year's award recipients, and a heartfelt thank you for helping make sure Queensland remains strong, safe and resilient in the face of disasters."
As stated by Suncorp Executive Manager, Disaster Management Lilly Broodbank:
"As a proud partner, we applaud Queensland's Resilient Australia Award entrants.
"Their resilience and community spirit inspire us all to face and overcome the challenges of extreme weather with strength and determination."
The 2024 Queensland RAA winners and highly commended entrants are at www.getready.qld.gov.au/RAA24.
Awards images are here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/gqp7mbzjq0lns0itvvcix/ABYqGy-1FYyHIKeWU-3nmHU?rlkey=0mv2h1at2aw0okgs2hxgwy6ww&st=92ub85cl&dl=0
