ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection
HMSS 0343 ACT Bushfire Support Unit Papers
Call Number | HMSS 0343 |
|---|---|
Collection | ACT Bushfire Support Unit Papers |
Date Range | 2003-2006 |
Quantity | 0.09m (1 manuscript box) |
Access Conditions | open |
Copying conditions | with attribution |
Related Collections | HMSS 0238 Wrap Up Canberra Records |
On 18 January 2003, the ACT experienced an unprecedented fire disaster, causing the tragic death of four people, nearly 500 injuries treated at hospitals, the loss of 488 homes and over 90 community, educational, commercial and farm buildings; damage to many other homes and businesses, including rural properties and villages to the west of Canberra; and widespread destruction of physical infrastructure, forests and the environment generally. The total financial cost of the fires has been estimated at $350m.
The scale of the effects of the January 2003 bushfire disaster on ACT citizens and the community and on public and private property led the ACT Government to conclude that there was a need for a specially focused approach to the ongoing direction of the recovery.
While the majority of the Government response the disaster would be most effectively undertaken by existing Government and community sector agencies, the scale of the disaster, the wide range of responses required and the need to ensure that momentum and coordination was maintained led to the Government’s decision to adopt a taskforce approach:
- On the 24 January 2003, the Government announced the establishment of a Bushfire Recovery Taskforce to coordinate the government, community and business efforts to assist the victims of the disaster and the longer-term recovery of the ACT.
- The Taskforce was to report to the Chief Minister as the Minister responsible for Bushfire Recovery.
- A Community and Expert Reference Group (CERG) was established by the ACT Government on 3 February 2003 as a key advisory body to the Taskforce and Government on community recovery issues and as an essential two-way communication channel to ensure that the recovery strategy was informed by community views and needs, and by local knowledge and expertise.
- The Taskforce and CERG were supported by a Bushfire Recovery Taskforce Secretariat, staffed mainly by seconded ACT public servants tasked with ensuring that the recovery process was a key priority through the ACT administration and that affected people’s needs were responded to promptly.
- The ACT Recovery Centre at Lyons was established on 24 January 2003 as a central point for bushfire affected residents to access information, advice, services and support.
The role of the Taskforce was to advise the Government, provide leadership for the recovery and act as a bridge between Government agencies and the community. Members of the Taskforce were:
- Sandy Hollway AO, previous resident of Canberra, senior Commonwealth Public Servant and CEO of the Sydney Organising Committee for the 2000 Olympic Games; Chair of the Taskforce;
- Robert de Castella, well known local athlete and Olympic marathon runner, as a representative of those people whose homes were destroyed;
- Terry Snow, Executive Chairman of the Canberra Airport Group, as a representative of the business community;
- Maureen Cane, Chief Executive Officer of Communities @ Work (the recently amalgamated Tuggeranong and Weston Creek Community Services), as a representative of the community sector;
- Mr Robert Tonkin, Chief Executive of the Chief Minister’s Department; and
- Mr Alan Thompson, the Chief Executive of the Department of Urban Services, who was taken ‘off line’ to be Chief Executive of the Bushfire Recovery Taskforce Secretariat.
The Taskforce was established with the following functions:
- develop the ACT Bushfire Recovery Plan;
- provide regular progress reports to the Chief Minister, as well as regular community and media information on recovery progress.
- provide advice to Government of the needs and responses of the disaster victims, the affected communities and other sectors;
- through the CERG, coordinate the actions of peak community, welfare, business and education organisations in their contribution to the bushfire recovery to ensure the most effective use of skills and resources;
- coordinate public infrastructure, housing, commercial and community organisation recovery and reconstruction;
- coordinate the ongoing Government services aspects of community recovery including accommodation, finance/ insurance, assistance programs, one stop shop assistance, donations and volunteering; and
- provide advice on planning and environmental aspects of the recovery.
The Taskforce provided its final report in October 2003. Its functions were progressively moved to the appropriate government services.
Its website is preserved on the Australian Internet Archive, Pandora.
Box Number | Format | Series | Description | Quantity | Date Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Compact disc | Surface Coating Association Australia / Australian Pain Manufacturers Federation Conference Presentation | file name: ACT SCAAAPMF August No photos | 1 cd | 09/08/2003 |
1 |
| Surface Coating Association Australia / Australian Pain Manufacturers Federation Conference Presentation | file name: ACT SCAAAPMF August | ||
1 | Compact disc | Bushfire Recovery Day Presentations | File name: | 2 cds | 21/05/2004 |
1 | Compact disc | Bushfire Recovery Day Presentations | File name: bushfire public info day | 1 cd | 23/05/2004 |
1 | Compact disc | Bushfire Recovery Day Presentations | File name: Dynamic Heart | 1 cd | 10/05/2004 |
1 | Compact disc | Bushfire Recovery Day Presentations | File name: George Tomlins Information Day Presentation | 1 cd | 21/05/2004 |
1 | Compact disc | Bushfire Recovery Day Presentations | File name:variety of files Note: Images 1 – 7: Supplied by the Bushfire Recovery Taskforce Image 1 – fire burnt-out car Image 2 – fire community fighting the fires Image 3 – Lincoln Close Chapman (after the devastation Jan 03) courtesy of The Canberra Times Image 4 – Lincoln Close Chapman1 (after the clean-up Mar 03) courtesy of The Canberra Times Image 5 – Rebuilding family looking at plan Image 6 – Rebuilding10 – site clearing Image 7 – Salvation Army hampers (community unites to help) Note: Images 8 – 12: DT Images folder - Photography acknowledgement – Photography by Dianne Thompson Image 8 – 039_mt_t (View of Mt Taylor ACT) photography by Dianne Thompson Image 9 – 085_tidb (Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve ACT) photography by Dianne Thompson Image 10 – Dscn_0855 (Nature recovering – Regrowth of gum trees) Photography by Dianne Thompson Image 11 – Dscn_0915 (after the fires - logging of pine trees Mt Stomlo) Photography by Dianne Thompson Image 12 – Dscn_1425 (Nature recovering – bushland regrowth) Photography by Dianne Thompson | 1 cd | 13/01/2004 |
1 | Compact disc | Bushfire Recovery Day Presentations | File name: dedication 18Jan2006 | 1 cd | 18/01/2006 |
1 | Compact disc | Taskforce Report | File name: 2003 11 21 Taskforce Report – final draft master | 1 cd | 23/11/2003 |
| Taskforce Report | File name: 2003 11 23 Taskforce Report – final draft master | |||
1 | Compact disc | Audio Recordings | File name: Track01 | 1 cd | Circa 2003 |
1 | Photo sleeves | Photographic Prints | Photographs taken by Alan Thompson of aftermath of Bushfires from an aircraft (probably a helicopter) |
| January 2003 |