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.