Cook Shire Council CEO Brian Joiner says the organisation is “committed to conducting a thorough and transparent review process” of its response to the devastation caused locally by Tropical Cyclone Jasper. Photo: Supplied.
Cook Shire Council says it is taking proactive steps towards enhancing community resilience and accountability by engaging an external consultant to review and report on the organisation’s response to the catastrophic weather event in December 2023.
Strategic Disaster Solutions will undertake the review and council chief executive officer Brian Joiner said the move reflected a community commitment to transparency and accountability.
“In the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Jasper, it’s imperative for us to assess our response comprehensively,” he said following the announcement.
“We owe it to our community to ensure that we learn from this experience and continually improve our disaster preparedness and response capabilities.
“We are committed to conducting a thorough and transparent review process, [and] the insights gleaned from this exercise will not only inform our future strategies, but also serve to strengthen our bonds with the communities we serve.”
Strategic Disaster Solutions will collaborate closely with the council’s disaster management team and relevant agencies and stakeholders, as well as communities impacted by the disaster.
Debriefing sessions will be held in Ayton from 9am-12pm on 11 May at the Bloomfield library, Rossville the following day from 10am-1pm at the Rossville markets, and at the council chambers in Cooktown from 9am-12pm on 13 May.
Additionally, a survey has been developed by the consultants to further capture community input, and is available both online and as a hard copy at the debriefing events.
For more information, call 4802 0500 or email [email protected].
