Question

• Is Economic Development critical to the services of local government, in an emergency?

• A show of hands who is involved on their Council’s Emergency Management Team?

Context

The Economic Impact of a disaster

Source: Adapted from Bureau of Transport Economics 2001, Economics Costs of Natural Disasters in Australia, Report 103, Canberra.

Where to begin…

• First Rule – It isn’t Rocket Science

• Emergency Management Australia www.ema.gov.au

• Building Business Confidence

• Work on the Foundations - SBMS

• Consider direct and indirect impacts

• Work with business identify an action plan

• Identify barriers to trade

• Consider how different professions will respond and

recovery eg, Farmer vs Tourism Operator vs Retailer vs Logging industry

• Show leadership

Effective Economic Recovery

• Response and recovery actions actively support the

recovery of business and industry

• Business and/or industry representatives participate

in economic recovery decision making

• Business and industry is returned to activity as early

as possible

• Economic recovery strategies are an integral part of

the overall recovery management process

• Measures are taken to mitigate against the impacts

of future disaster on business continuity

• There is coordination of all recovery programs to support and enhance the economic structure

* Auspiced by Tourism Victoria and Yarra Valley & The Dandenongs Marketing.

Strategically Manage Recovery

Understand Your Community

• SWOT• Use your Economic Profile and Research – will your disaster impact all industries and customers• Assess industries and townships resilience and leadership• Gather new data to stake your claim to Government • Psychology of communities Rob Gordon Diagram

Normal Community

CommunityNormal

Threatened Community Under Stress

DisasterEventhorizon

Bonds ReformDebonding

CommunityThreatened

DisasterEventhorizon

typerbonding

DisasterEventhorizon

Under Stress

Intense need for social connection

Intense need for

connection

Emotionallyarousedbond seekingactivity

Boundary formationexcludes outsiders

New bonds forming

social

Fusion unstainable – life demands resume

Fusion

demands resume

Losses

Experiences

Resources

JointTensions

Location

Compensation

Unstainable-life

Recovery/Reconstruction – normality resumes

Normalityresumes

Recovery/Reconstruction

Use Your Contacts

• Economic Development Practitioners can have powerful connections that may unlock fast responsive funds for a variety of initiatives

– Restaurant Catering Sponsorship

for volunteers $70K

– Consortia funding for a new

playground in Yarra Glen $560K

– Bendigo Bank contribution of

around $140K to community recovery

activities

– $10K Westpac

Keep Industry Informed

IndustryKeep

Informed

A bit of Luck

A bitof Luck

Buy Local Campaigns

LocalBuy

Campaigns

Key Resources

KeyResources

Economic Recovery Top Tips

1. Use your previous knowledge, research and contacts to your advantage

2. Be Strategic about what you can do – ask for

support

3. Build Business Confidence and Resilience

4. Show leadership

Be Creative