[LINK] Resilient Broadband Network needed for Australia

[Bernard Robertson-Dunn]

Rick Welykochy wrote:

>
> One wonders how many resources have been squandered in Australia to 
> protect
> us from overstated terrorist threat. The amount spent on security at APEC
> was OTT, and can be attributed to the presence of a single participant.

<quote>
About $10 billion had been invested [into counter-terrorism measures] 
since 2001, compared with $500 million in managing the potential 
consequences of a large-scale natural disaster.
</quote>

Australia ill-prepared for disasters
By Julian Drape and Denis Peters
May 07, 2008 02:48pm
Herald Sun
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23659583-5005961,00.html

AUSTRALIA is ill-prepared for the types of freak weather wreaking 
devastation in other parts of the world and which is increasing, a new 
report says.

As the emergency relief effort is ramped up in cyclone-stricken Burma, a 
strategic think-tank has warned that it is not even clear who or which 
authority would be in charge of responding to a similar disaster in 
Australia.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) report said local 
emergency crews would have to deal with more injuries caused by the 
increased intensity of extreme events in coming years.

"So-called freak weather is becoming more common, including cyclones, 
storms, floods, extreme temperature, drought and bushfires," the report 
said.

"More coastal zone residential developments are simply increasing these 
risks. There will be significant evacuation and relocation of large 
numbers of people."

But Australia was ill-prepared to deal with the fallout, the report said.

Co-author Anthony Bergin said today that if a devastating tsunami hit 
Australia's east coast, "it's not clear who's in charge".

"When it comes to a national disaster emergency ... it's not at all 
clear the precise management and coordination arrangements," Dr Bergin 
said on ABC radio.

The report found Australia lacked an appropriate, effective, timely 
national community information and warning system capable of being used 
in the lead-up to, and recovery from, disasters.

"Recent improvements to tsunami monitoring are commendable, but don't 
help to convey the message of a potential impact to communities in the 
middle of the night."

The ASPI study said that comparatively speaking, Cyclone Tracy - which 
devastated Darwin in 1974 - and the 1977 Granville rail disaster, were 
both "small scale".

It said a single national framework was needed to manage and co-ordinate 
a significant disaster.

"In the face of climate change-induced disasters, we will have to 
improve our cross-jurisdictional response that involves disaster 
planning, emergency services, health care and infrastructure providers."

Governments would also need to "climate-proof" infrastructure.

Dr Bergin said Australia had more to fear from a national disaster than 
from terrorism.

But since the 9/11 attacks in the United States the bulk of disaster 
resources had gone into counter-terrorism measures.

About $10 billion had been invested since 2001, compared with $500 
million in managing the potential consequences of a large-scale natural 
disaster.

The ASPI study found the average family had "little concept" of planning 
for a situation where they might have no access to food, water or power 
for three days or more.

-- 
 
Regards
brd

Bernard Robertson-Dunn
Sydney Australia
brd at iimetro.com.au