The Queensland Government has appointed Colonel Justin O’Connor (Retd) as State Recovery Coordinator and former Brisbane City Councillor, Peter Matic, as Deputy State Recovery Coordinator to lead recovery efforts from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
In a statement, the Government said Colonel O’Connor (Retd) has extensive experience in tourism, government and military planning, insurance and business, while Mr Matic brings years of experience in governance, policy and projects that significantly impact local communities.
The State Recovery Coordinator and Deputy State Recovery Coordinator will work with Queensland Reconstruction Authority CEO, Major General Jake Ellwood.
Together, they will be responsible for identifying the specific needs of impacted communities, consulting with communities to assist the development of recovery programs, encouraging community capacity and resilience following the disaster event, and developing a strong State Recovery Plan, said Premier David Crisafulli.
“Today’s appointment delivers on our commitment for zero daylight between response and recovery,” Premier Crisafulli said.
“The Coordinators have hit the ground running today. The job is already underway to deliver the recovery needed.
“These roles will be critical to ensure we send the message that Queensland is open for business ahead of the Easter holidays.
“Given Colonel O’Connor (Retd) and Mr Matic’s experience, I know they will help our communities, businesses and tourism industries recover as quickly as possible.”
Minister for Disaster Recovery, Ann Leahy said the Coordinators were up to the challenge of recovery from the significant impacts of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
“We are confident these appointments will help Queensland recover quickly after this disaster event,” Minister Leahy said.
“Both Colonel O’Connor (Retd) and Mr Matic will also work with the State Recovery Coordinator for the North Queensland flood event to ensure coordination across Queensland after back-to-back disaster events.”
Colonel O’Connor (Retd) said he was ready to tackle the challenges impacting South East Queensland.
“My focus will be on rebuilding and reinvigorating Queensland’s economy which have been adversely affected by the cyclone,” Colonel O’Connor (Retd) said.
“I welcome the opportunity to work with Mr Matic and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to get South East Queensland back to its best.”
For more information about disaster recovery support, visit www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp.
