Four months ago, national cabinet was briefed on severe flood risk. Here’s what happened next

On November 5, 2021, national cabinet was briefed by the Bureau of Meteorology on “high-risk” weather expected through until April 2022.

Meeting documents are usually kept secret, but independent Senator Rex Patrick obtained the PowerPoint slides for the briefing via freedom of information. They revealed cabinet was briefed on the increased risk of widespread and coastal flooding during the first four months of 2022. Weather maps indicated south-east Queensland and far north NSW as areas where “riverine flooding due to widespread rain” was a hazard.

February 28

Just as the Bureau of Meteorology predicted, the dying days of the Australian summer saw intense rain that precipitated devastating floods up and down the east coast. After a gloomy summer clouded by Omicron and ending with war in Ukraine, the promised downpour had arrived.

South-east Queensland was the first to be affected. After recording its largest three-day rainfall, the Brisbane River peaked at 3.85 metres on the morning of February 28.

At the same time, Lismore was recording its worst flooding, with the peak reaching higher than 14 metres, two metres higher than the record set in 1954.

March 3-4

It took a number of days for the floodwaters to recede in Lismore, at which point the mammoth clean-up effort finally could begin.

Calls for leadership grew as 3000 homes were destroyed, leaving thousands of residents homeless. Access to emergency supports was nearly impossible because of internet outages and a lack of access to computers. Reports emerged of private helicopters being crowdfunded and untrained volunteers uncovering bodies.

March 5

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet visited northern NSW and spoke just outside Lismore. He said the government was “not going to spare a dollar”. Residents lamented the lack of direction and slow mobilisation of support.

March 6

The first 900 ADF personnel arrived to assist with the clean-up in northern NSW.

March 8

After witnessing the devastation in Lismore, Dominic Perrottet spoke on 2GB and apologised to people who “feel that they are isolated and abandoned”.

Meanwhile…

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced he had tested positive for COVID-19 late on March 1, and isolated in Sydney for the following week. He made speeches on Ukraine to the Lowy Institute and the AFR Business Summit from isolation.

As for Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce? He’s done a handful of media appearances, including on Sunrise, but his interview with Leigh Sales on 7.30 last night demonstrated why he might be keeping out of the limelight. He bumbled about bureaucracy in an attempt to explain the slow support for flood-affected areas. He floundered when questioned on pork-barrelling that saw Ballina and Byron — in the Labor-held seat of Richmond — de-prioritised for emergency funding after also receiving less flood preparation funding after neighbouring Nationals-held seat Page.

He did concede the national disaster call might have been too late, telling host Leigh Sales: “If people say, well, it should’ve happened last week, well, if we made that mistake, we made that mistake, and we’re sorry for it.”

Which brings us to yesterday.

March 9

More ADF personnel arrived in northern NSW, along with Morrison who had just come out of isolation. While on the ground in Lismore, he declared a national emergency which will trigger a federal response to the devastation. Critics suggested the announcement was delayed to maximise PR opportunities. 

When questioned on the pace of the support rollout, Morrison said the ADF was “not available on a moment’s notice”.