Qld severe weather review 2023-24 not released by December as state cops wet season

A much-anticipated and well-overdue severe weather report was expected to be released months ago — now both sides of the government claim there’s different reasons it has been delayed.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles and Emergency Services Minister Dan Purdie.

A parliamentary “process” is being blamed for the delay in the release of a much-anticipated and well-overdue severe weather report, with the state already enveloped in its next storm season.

The Office of the Inspector General Emergency Management conducted its annual severe weather review, which included a hearing at Holloways Beach in August, with the report submitted to the former state government’s cabinet in late September.

The 2023-24 Severe Weather Review examined the preparedness, response and transition to recovery for the bushfires, storms, cyclones and floods that occurred between October 2023 and April 2024 in Queensland – including Cyclone Jasper and the subsequent flooding.

Cairns Regional Council made a particularly pointed submission to the review regarding its own experience during the record floods that engulfed Cairns’ northern beaches in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

The Barron River in flood after cyclone Jasper on the northern side of Cairns. Photo Supplied: Cockatours

The submission identified major shortcomings in the emergency services response to the disaster, including a “critically ineffective” Australian Warning System, unreliable weather information, and the absence of key Local Disaster Management Group members.

But the report remains out of the hands of the public after what appears to be a breakdown in communication between departments.

On Wednesday while in Cairns, new Emergency Services Minister Dan Purdie said one of his first trips since his appointment was to Wujal Wujal – a community almost completely wiped out during the December 2023 floods – prompting him to request IGEM’s severe weather report.

Emergency Services Minister Dan Purdie says a cabinet process is holding up the release of the severe weather report. Picture: Liam Kidston

“The report was given to (the Labor) cabinet, in cabinet confidence, and the (then) government never released it, and we’ve made official requests to get it, and still haven’t,” Mr Purdie said.

“I asked the department which looks after cabinet and then I was told we can’t get it until the previous government releases it.

“I legitimately think it might just be a process issue and for some reason they haven’t released it.”

On December 18, Mr Purdie said he had been asking questions about the report for “five or six weeks”, landing his initial requests in mid-November.

However, former Premier and now Opposition Leader Steven Miles’ office provided a copy of a letter dated December 11, addressed to the secretary of the new cabinet, which showed Mr Miles had consented to the release of IGEM severe weather report.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles has provided his consent for the severe weather report, initially delivered to his government, to be handed to the current government. Glenn Hunt / The Australian

“Upon review, I provide my approval for the IGEM report to be provided to the current government to ensure Queensland is well positioned to respond to natural disasters in the wake of what could be another significant disaster season,” Mr Miles said in reply.

“Please find the returned cabinet documents enclosed.”

The letter and report were also sent via email.

Mr Miles had provided his response seven days prior to Mr Purdie claiming the report had not been released.

Following Mr Miles presenting his letter, Mr Purdie was later asked if it had been missed internally.

A spokeswoman for Mr Purdie said the release of the report had been “hampered by the fact that it is cabinet-in-confidence”.

The Barron River in Cairns, Far North Queensland, has reached a record flood peak, with roads closed and homes flooded in the catchment area. Flood waters lap at the Kamerunga bridge on the Western Road, and despite the bridge remaining open, road access is still cut to the northern beaches of Cairns. The record flooding has been caused by ex Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which made landfall on December 13. Picture: Brendan Radke

“The Minister for Police and Emergency Services has not seen the letter from the Leader of the Opposition as the cabinet secretary has deemed the letter also ‘cabinet-in-confidence’ as it contained deliberations of the previous cabinet,” the spokeswoman said.

She confirmed while the report had been approved for “conditional” release to the government, there would be a delay in the public release of the documents as the government would need to develop a response.

“The cabinet secretary has noted the Leader of the Opposition specified the IGEM Report should not be released publicly until a Queensland Government response has been developed.”

On Wednesday, Mr Purdie noted he had received a briefing from the Inspector General who prepared the report.

“From the general briefing I’ve had is that (Inspector General of Emergency Management) Alistair Dawson hasn’t raised any alarming concerns about urgent things that needed to fixed before this current season.”

It comes as a Holloways Beach 2023 flood victim this week shared his angst about the upcoming severe weather season, noting his “confidence is waning” and felt “authorities have learned very little”.

Originally published as Qld severe weather review 2023-24 not released by December as state cops wet season