2015-06-23 I&S Agenda - Item 5 - Local Disaster Recovery Plan - Attachment 2

                            Noosa Local Disaster Recovery Plan 2015/2016

and empathy for disaster victims through monetary donations. It is more empowering for
people to receive cash grants so that they can choose what they most need to support their
own recovery, which can also assist in stimulating the local economy. The key message is
that cash is always preferred because it can be targeted to meet immediate needs.

25.14 Financial assistance—insurance
Insurance is the primary means of gaining financial compensation for the cost of restoration.
The major types of insurance cover are for home and contents, income protection, and
property and business interruption.

Home and contents policies usually provide replacement and reinstatement insurance,
which covers the cost of repair and replacement of damaged property and contents. The
less common indemnity policies take account of the age and condition of the items insured.
If buildings and/or contents are underinsured, the settlement amount from the insurer is less
than the cost of replacement. There is also a need to be aware of the policy exclusions (that
is, the risks not covered).

Commercial insurance is designed to cover many of the risks, including damage or loss
caused by disasters, which are faced by business, including coverage for buildings, vehicles,
equipment, stock, plant, and fixtures and fittings, as well as business interruption. Adequacy
of insurance cover is an important community message that should be promoted routinely.

25.15 Insurance Council of Australia
The Insurance Council of Australia assists affected people to navigate and negotiate the
insurance process. A central goal is to build and maintain a high-level coordination capability
to be employed following a disaster. The strategic intent of this objective is, first, to increase
the effectiveness of individual efforts for insuring disaster victims and, second, to improve
and simplify liaison with state and federal government emergency response systems. The
Insurance Council of Australia has produced the Industry Catastrophe Coordination Plan.
They are able to provide representatives at State and at regional levels when impacts are
significant. The Economic Sub-group should consider involving Insurance Council of
Australia participation in insurance and insurance claim matters arising from the disaster.

25.16 Australian Taxation Office
The Australian Taxation Office supports taxpayers, businesses and tax agents through its
disaster response framework. Mechanisms include appropriate and timely arrangements to
relax tax obligations and provide tailored assistance to people when they are ready to attend
to their tax matters. During previous disasters in Australia some key responses included:
  allowing lodgment deferrals of activity statements or income tax returns without penalty
   allowing additional time to pay tax debts without incurring general interest charges
   initially stopping correspondence to affected areas
   fast-tracking refunds

25.17 Public-private partnerships
Public-private partnerships can capture the goodwill that exists in the private sector and its
willingness to be part of the recovery process. They do not include the normal procurement
that enables services to be provided and they do not necessarily involve exchange of
money. An example is the provision of goods or services following a disaster by a private
enterprise to a relief agency that is covered by a memorandum of understanding.
These partnerships can increase capability to respond in a timely manner, and can provide a
mechanism to assist the smooth provision of services.

Partnerships in the recovery environment can provide:
 corporate in-kind support
   information to the community

                                                                                               57