Strategic Plan

About

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) Strategic Plan 2025-29 outlines QRA's vision, purpose, organisational objectives, strategies, outcomes and performance indicators.

Queenslanders are experiencing more frequent and intense disasters, with coordinated action to support the recovery and the resilience of our communities occurring within an environment of rapid technological change, fiscal and workforce pressures, changing demographics and diverse community needs. This requires us to think and act differently, be agile and facilitate coordinated action to ensure Queenslanders are safe, reconnected and supported through disasters.

Our vision

Stronger, safer, resilient Queensland communities

Our purpose

Coordinate action to improve the resilience of Queensland communities and facilitate locally-led disaster recovery

Our value statement

Through partnership and collaboration, our team stand ready to reconnect and reconstruct, fostering stronger, more prepared Queensland communities.

Our value proposition

Prevention - We deliver fit for purpose tools and assessment of state risk to guide proactive prioritised investment pipelines at a state level for betterment
Preparedness - We strengthen resilience through preparedness, leading campaigns to support Queenslanders to get ready and remain safe during disasters
Response - We are on the ground, supporting local, district and state partners during response and relief to ensure a smooth transition to recovery
Recovery - We lead state recovery through coordinating disaster funding programs and state recovery planning, leaning in to support locally-led recovery to meet the needs of each affected community
Resilience - We deliver Queensland’s Strategy for Disaster Resilience, coordinating state action to improve the resilience of people, buildings, roads and transport and the environment

Principles

Learn about the four principles of Strategic Plan 2025-29 including objective, strategies and performance indicators:

Principle 1 - Lead state recovery under a changing climate

Principle 1 - Lead state recovery under a changing climate
Aim	Deliver state recovery, supporting Queensland communities to reconnect and function as soon as possible after a disaster
Objectives	QRA has identified and planned for assessed risks emerging from challenges over the next ten years QRA supports Queensland communities to recover as soon as possible after a disaster Deliver value for money and strong governance in administering State and Commonwealth funding programs
Strategies	Be an engaged influential leader in futures and foresight and build capability in research into emerging risks Learn from international, interstate and local practices to influence and enhance the development of national relief, recovery and resilience arrangements Lead establishment of Queensland’s recovery priorities Support Functional Recovery and Resilience Groups to deliver recovery priorities through ongoing engagement, tools and resources where appropriate Coordinate whole-of-government activity in resilience and recovery through effective stewardship of the State Recovery and Resilience Group and implementation of the Queensland Recovery Plan Deploy liaison officers to support locally led response and recovery and work with QPS at the state level and NEMA nationally Support councils to develop locally led event specific Resilience and Recovery Plans Evaluate QRA’s operating environment bi-annually to identify emerging challenges for recovery over the next 10 years Complete timely program evaluations to ensure value for money and appropriateness of DRFA spending
Performance indicators	100% completion of reconstruction and recovery projects within required timeframes Annual completion of QRA audit of DRFA claim

Principle 2 - Strengthen resilience through preparedness

Principle 2 - Strengthen resilience through preparedness
Aim	Deliver effective campaigns to inform Queenslanders about their risk and how to prepare Support our partners to understand risk, adapt and independently recover
Objectives	Queenslanders are more informed about their risk and how to recover from disaster Local governments have access to, and use fit for purpose tools, infrastructure and information that inform disaster risk Local governments and other delivery agents have the capability and capacity to deliver recovery activities and strengthen resilience.
Strategies	Prepare Queenslanders for disasters through targeted awareness campaigns and outreach activities under Get Ready Queensland and the If It’s Flooded, Forget It programs Partner with stakeholders to strengthen the whole-of-government preparedness message and what this means for individuals during disasters Partnership to improve measurement of resilience, including tracking drivers and indicators to support data-driven and adaptive policy Explore policy options to support homeowners to understand their flood and other natural hazard risks Collaborate with the insurance industry to better understand insurance pricing and linkages to disaster risk reduction activities Update the Queensland Disaster Risk Management (QDRM) approach to provide statewide consistency in understanding and assessing disaster risks Facilitate a whole of government approach to further enhance Queensland’s ability to manage its flood risk through ensuring best practice studies, plans and outputs are delivered Support local governments to understand their risks in a measured manner to influence resources and capability development in the sector and continue to develop and update Local Resilience Action Plans Complete annual engagement program with partners to measure effectiveness of support provided by QRA.
Performance indicators	Number of people in Queensland who intend to change behaviour following exposure to awareness campaigns increases each year Data analytics including Get Ready Queensland market research shows increased awareness of risk, resilience and how to be prepared.

Principle 3 - Invest in betterment and disaster risk reduction for resilience

Principle 3 - Invest in betterment and disaster risk reduction for resilience
Aim	Embed betterment into recovery programs and increase investment in resilience to ensure infrastructure and community investments are built back better to suit the changing environment
Objectives	QRA understands and clearly articulates the need for resilience investment with a clear ‘business as usual’ option and demonstration of economic, social and mental health outcomes QRA supports resilient and climate appropriate land use planning, building codes and climate appropriate design supporting the need for new housing for a growing population through provision of expert advice
Strategies	Work with government and research partners to understand risk and capture mitigation measures driving the need for resilience investment Coordinate state action for resilience and disaster mitigation through delivery of the Queensland’s Strategy for Disaster Resilience 2022-2027 Coordinate state resilience policy to ensure local communities needs are recognised in future recovery and resilience plans Develop proactive prioritised investment pipelines at a state level for betterment, particularly relating to access routes and road infrastructure Continue investment in event-specific Betterment programs following disasters Document Queensland’s resilience story, detailing the outcomes achieved from projects delivered across the entire recovery and resilience portfolio Enhance economic cost and benefit analysis frameworks and business case templates to better inform investment decisions Incorporate climate adaptation into assessment of Queensland’s resilience project proposals in alignment with Queensland’s Climate Adaptation Strategy Promote resilient land use planning and building codes and explore partnerships to pilot and demonstrate resilient housing design Evaluate recovery, resilience and betterment investment to ensure effectiveness and value for money Building on the learnings and corporate knowledge of existing resilience programs within QRA and the Queensland Government
Performance indicators	Allocate DRFA efficiencies funding towards a new proactive resilience Queensland Betterment Fund in line with the Queensland Government commitment

Principle 4 - A capable and empowered team

Principle 4 - A capable and empowered team
Aim	Invest in our structure, people, processes and technology to deliver what government directs (recovery and resilience for Queenslanders)
Objectives	QRA has a strategic workforce plan, outlining future resourcing requirements and plans to build capacity A capable and trained workforce, with QRA respected and consulted for its body of knowledge and expertise in recovery and resilience Leverage technology, continuous improvement and lessons management to build innovation and agility to meet current and emerging recovery needs
Strategies	Cultivate a healthy, safe and efficient workplace that attracts and retains a skilled and capable workforce Support the growth and development of our people through succession planning and learning opportunities Support delivery of emergency management training within QRA and deliver disaster recovery funding training to local government partners Develop and implement a Lessons Management capability within QRA Investigate new systems and technologies to drive efficiency and reduce risk in QRA’s operations Coordinate State Recovery and Resilience Group and internal QRA after-action reviews after each disaster season Update QRA’s Disaster Recovery Coordination Handbook to include lessons identified from annual after-action reviews Examine whether the current operating model is fit for purpose for future operating environment conditions
Performance indicators	Working for Queensland Survey results exceed public sector averages

Risks

Queensland experiences a catastrophic disaster event, overlaying events or other external impacts that overwhelm resources and compromises community needs
Community disaster fatigue and decreased resilience from increasingly frequent disasters slows down or prevents delivery of effective recovery and resilience outcomes
A constrained fiscal environment restricts access to and availability of national disaster funding arrangements
The risk of misinformation and disinformation impacting recovery
Vulnerable critical infrastructure and the reliance on telecommunications and power in population centres leads to increasingly severe impacts from failure
Land use planning frameworks and building codes do not keep pace with demand to incorporate climate appropriate designs to improve structural resilience to disaster impacts
Recovery programs of work exceed market capacity to deliver on time and within budget due to factors such as competing demand, workforce or volunteer availability or fatigue, and challenges in remote communities such as higher construction costs and ongoing impacts of wet seasons
Economic vulnerability and demographic changes (such as an aging population, and increase in one-person households, urban density and urban sprawl, rural depopulation, and increased international and domestic migration) are not adequately recognised.

Opportunities

Work with state and national partners to develop contingency plans to address strategic risks and develop strategies to mitigate specific impacts for recovery operations and activities
Empower individuals to increase resilience through a tailored education program, providing practical ways to prepare, adapt and self-recover in a changing climate
Manage the net efficiencies realised from Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) and coordinate the allocation of these funds over successive financial years to strategic disaster mitigation and resilience programs in accordance with the DRFA Efficiencies Framework
Continue to work with partners to improve our communication channels to provide trusted and correct information
Participate in Queensland Disaster Management Exercise Group to support preparedness, response and transition to recovery
Support resilient land use planning and building codes through provision of expert advice and data on disaster risk knowledge and analysis
Capture work underway to include resilience as an objective in the National Construction Code and explore partnerships to support, pilot and demonstrate resilient housing design
Support actions to develop disaster management as a profession and work with national partners to identify future skills and capabilities required in the emergency management workforce
Leverage our understanding and explore research opportunities with ongoing and predicted demographic change to revise recovery processes so they address the needs and realities of our current and future population.

Our contribution to the Queensland Government’s objectives for the community

A better lifestyle through a stronger economy
- Supporting Queensland communities to recover as soon as possible after a disaster
- Delivering value for money and strong governance in administering State and Commonwealth funding programs
A plan for Queensland’s future
- Queenslanders to be more informed about their risk and how to recover from disaster
- Local governments to have access to, and use fit-for purpose tools, infrastructure and information that inform disaster risk
- Resilient and adaptive land use planning, building codes, climate appropriate design supporting the need for new housing for a growing population.

We respect, protect and promote human rights in everything we do through the five Queensland Government public service values: customers first; ideas into action; unleash potential; be courageous; and empower people.

Print version (PDF) - QRA Strategic Plan 2025-29

QRA Reference: CM QRATF/25/6195. Last reviewed: 14 July 2025.