XBR208: Natural Hazards and Disasters - Tasmania Resilience Study

This presentation examines the disaster resilience of Tasmania, specifically addressing the increasing incidence of floods in the region. It provides an overview of the Tasmanian climate and presents demographic, economic, and infrastructural data relevant to disaster preparedness and response. The analysis covers population demographics, employment, homeownership, access to internet, business statistics, healthcare resources, and transport links. It also identifies vulnerable sectors within the community and discusses the need for support networks. The presentation emphasizes the importance of community resilience, risk assessment, preparedness, and swift response to natural disasters, highlighting the need for government projects and infrastructure improvements to mitigate the impact of future events. The study leverages statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) to support its findings and recommendations.

Natural Hazards and
Disasters
Disaster resilience in Tasmania

Tasmania floods
• In view of the Hobart flood incidences that have been occurring over the past years, the federal government did
declare the floods a natural disaster given that the damages have become more clear. The department of natural
disaster relief and recovery have been providing support to the affected victims and to the region at large in form
grants, vital household items, repair as well as restoration.
• With the constant occurrences of flooding incidences within Tasmania, the region is definitely on the grip of
dangerous weather bingo. There is therefore an increasing need to develop various strategies that will recognize
resilience in such constant emergency conditions. Community resilience should be able to cover the various
aspects for this disaster that includes risk assessment, preparedness, management of knowledge and information,
swift response as well as recovery.
• This study looks at the basic statistics that can help in increasing the disaster resilience for this region as well the
measures that the Tasmanian authorities can put in place to improve their disaster resilience based on these
statistics.

Overview of Tasmanian climate
• The region is mainly characterized by temperate maritime climate. A westerly airstream prevailing the region often
leads to variations in temperature, rainfall and cloudiness.
• The annual climate averages is as shown below.

Rainfall
• Rainfall in Tasmania is mainly controlled by the interaction of the topography and the airstream. The annual
rainfall often vary across states.

Demographic profile
Median age
• The Tasmanian median age population in 2017 was recorded at 42.2 years. This represented the highest median ages as
compared to all territories within Australia. The male median age was at 41.0 years whereas that of females was at 43.3
years. The greater Hobart had a median age population of 39.8 years during the same period ("3235.0 - Regional Population
by Age and Sex, Australia, 2017", 2019).

Age and sex distribution
• Tasmania’s age distribution as at June 2017 mainly involved a reduced proportion of individuals between the age of 20 and
44 years. This represented massive numbers of Tasmania adults who pursue education and employment in different states.
The state equally has higher numbers of adults above 45 years.

Education
• Up to 28.8% of Tasmania people were going to an institution offering education.

Sex ratio
• Tasmania’s sex ratio was 98 males per 100 females as at June 2017. Greater Hobart indicated a slightly higher rate at 99.2
than the rest of Tasmania.

Nationality
• An estimated 80.7% of Tasmania populations were Australian born

Employment
• Up to 232,950 individuals were actually employed in the week preceding the census night with 52.3% of them
being employed on full time basis.

Home ownership
• Up to 80% of the private households in Tasmania were actually occupied
• Of the private households in Tasmania, those uprightly owned made up 35.7%, those rented made up 27.3% and
those owned through mortgages represented 33.5%.

Access to internet
• Up to 78% of Tasmania households had access to internet from at least one individual. Access to internet was
through either a tablet, laptop. Desktop computer, mobile, gaming console, smart tv, video player or any other
device.

Economic profile
• The total number of Tasmanian businesses as at 30th June 2018 was recorded at 38443. The businesses have grouped into
different categories and their data is as below;

• The agricultural industry accounted for the highest number of business in Tasmania with up to 5583 businesses by 30 th June
2018. The arts and recreation industry accounted for the least number of businesses within the region having only 479
businesses during the same period.

• The mean household net worth was estimated $554518 in 2016 from the previous $581908 in 2014.
• The agricultural industry had the highest number of employed individuals given that it also accounted for the highest
number of businesses.

• The gross capital gains by taxpayers stood at $ 496.4 million as at 30th June 2016 from 15709 taxpayers.

• The total personal income for individuals above 15 years during the year census carried out in 2016 is as shown
below;

Health services
• As at 30th June 2016, Tasmania had a total of 1250 public hospital beds. Greater Hobart had the highest available number of
beds accounting for 43%. The northern region and Mersey-lyell region had 33.2% and 23.8% of beds. Of the total number of
beds available, 97.2% were used for the right purpose.

• The total number of births reached a maximum high in 2013 recorded at 6049. The number has kept reducing in
each successive year with 2017 recording 5610 deaths. On the other hand, the total number of deaths has kept
increasing from 4444 in 2013 to 4780 in 2017.

Transport links
• The transport sector accounts for up to 5% of the total employment of Tasmanians.

• The values for different engineering construction for infrastructure are relatively high in this region

• By 2003, the region had reported up to 24,253km of completed roads

• Road accidents in the region were reported to reduce by 32.8% between 2001 and 2003. There was however a
rise in motor cycles fatalities

Support networks
• constantly changing workforce and demographic structure often result to several economic and social pressures within any
community. This leads to challenges in acquiring some of the basic welfare services.

• The most common sectors of need that often seek for assistance include the aged, neglected children, the sick poor,
individuals with disabilities , the retired and even the unemployed. Providing support to such groups is intended to ensure
that individuals have enough income to sustain themselves as well as any other dependents ("2016 Census QuickStats:
Tasmania", 2019).

Population
• The table below represents a summary of Tasmania population

• The region has been witnessing a rising population over the years. There was a population rise of 1764 individuals in 2003,
1756 in 2004 and 2208 in 2005. The crude birth rate was recorded at 13.0 in 2005 whereas the total rate of fertility was 2.1 in
the same year.

Increasing resilience
• Tasmania is basically an island that is probably isolated and has adverse weather conditions. The locals therefore
have to develop an ability to withstand hardship and equally succeed during difficult times. To enhance
preparedness, there is need to act on previous lessons of failure and success during different periods.
• The Tasmanian government should run several projects that will support the locals previously affected by adverse
weather conditions witnessed in the region so as to be prepared for future similar natural disasters. The projects
will help the regional Tasmanian communities to properly respond to future natural disasters, emergencies and
any other occurrence that can disrupt normal human activities. The projects can be funded jointly by the
Tasmanian and Australian government.
• There is need to site the critical infrastructure including hospitals and electricity substations away from the regions
mostly affected with the floods. The hospitals should also be well supplied with vital amenities to help manage
emergency situations.
• The Tasmanian authorities should also recognize properties that are developed in the harms way and adopt the
new building codes as well as controlled relocation to help lower the exposure to the hazards.

References
• 3235.0 - Regional Population by Age and Sex, Australia, 2017. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/3235.0Main%20Features72017?opendocument&tabn
ame=Summary&prodno=3235.0&issue=2017&num=&view
=
• 2016 Census QuickStats: Tasmania. (2019). Retrieved from
https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/6?opendocument