The document summarizes the initial response and engagement with political leaders and agencies following the devastating bushfires in September 2019 that destroyed Binna Burra Lodge. Key events included: - The Queensland government established a task force to assist Binna Burra's recovery efforts, addressing issues across multiple agencies. - Visits by the Queensland Minister, local mayor, and later the Prime Minister signaled high-level support for Binna Burra's recovery. - $1.775 million in joint Commonwealth-Queensland funding was later announced to support stabilization works, site cleanup, and master planning.

1. Bushfire response & recovery.
Optics & substance.
Initial engagement with
Local, State & Federal Political
Leaders & Agencies.
Steve Noakes, Edition: 9 April 2020

2. ‘Crisis leadership differs from leadership in routine times. Its stakes are much higher, the public
is much more attentive, its mood more volatile, and institutional constraints on elite decision
making are considerably looser.’
(Ansell, C. Boin, A. and 't Hart, P. (2014) Political Leadership in Times of Crisis. The Oxford Handbook of Political Leadership. Edited by R. A. W. Rhodes and Paul 't Hart)
The impact of crises on political leadership in five areas (Körösényi, 2013)
(Körösényi, A. (2013) The Impact of Crises and States of Emergency on Political Leadership. Paper Presented at the 7 th ECPR General Conference, Section on Elites and Transatlantic Crisis
Bordeaux, 4-7 September 2013)

3. ‘The effect that the media have on human drama in things like disasters has become quite
prominent over the last 10-15 years because the media are on the spot much quicker now and
can transmit very powerful images of these events into everybody’s room. So if you like, the
pressure on policy makers to act quickly, decisively, etc, etc, has increased from that.’
Paul t’Hart. Interview in 'The Member Connector, International Leadership Association (September 2007)

4. On the day of the fire. Sunday morning, 8 September 2019.
Deputy Premier includes Binna Burra in official media announcement about the bushfires in
Queensland.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXuk776Hz8E&list=PL6P39IWPpKeoM8WzZRVQwiiB3GAt4uowE

5. Sunday morning, 8 September 2019.
QFES reported: ‘Currently as 5 am, Sunday 8 September, a fire is burning on both sides of Binna
Burra Road, south of Summerville Road, travelling in an easterly direction towards Numinbah
Valley and Springbrook. The fire is currently impacting Binna Burra.’
Around 8 am we started to get some first aerial images of Binna Burra from ABC news cameras,
but due to the heavy smoke it was hard to determine what had been damaged, although we
could identify that the historic lodge and cabins were all gone and damage had been sustained to
some of the Skylodges.
At 9 am the Scenic Rim Mayor, Greg Christensen, made the formal media announcement
concerning the devastation at Binna Burra. The Acting Premier, Jackie Trad, also made a public
statement about Binna Burra and then for the rest of that day, there was a constant line of media
seeking the ‘official’ statement from Binna Burra.
https://newsroom.psba.qld.gov.au/Content/Home/Home/Article/SEEK-SHELTER-Binna-Burra-formerly-Beechmont-bushfire-as-at-9pm-Fri-6-Sept/-2/-2/14872
Extract from: Diary & Journal of a bushfire season in South East Queensland.
Recollections of the 2019/2020 spring and summer months of bushfires @
Binna Burra by Steve Noakes

6. On the day of the fire.
Sunday 8 September 2019.
On the Sunday afternoon, the Hon Cameron Dick, Queensland Minister for State Development,
Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning called me to express his condolences and also to
offer to immediately set up a high level State Government Task Force to assist in the recovery
efforts for Binna Burra.
The Task Force has a six month timeframe and has been invaluable in assisting our recovery
efforts as we need to deal with numerous State and Local government agencies ranging from
Transport and Main Roads, Department of Environment and Science (National Parks, Cultural
heritage etc), Planning agencies, Health Department (water quality, asbestos etc),
Employment and Training as well as Scenic Rim Regional Council.
That same afternoon, we were able to make arrangements with the Beechmont Area Progress
Association (BAPA) to use one of the demountable buildings at the Beechmont Old School site as
a temporary office for Binna Burra staff.
Extract from: Diary & Journal of a bushfire season in South East Queensland.
Recollections of the 2019/2020 spring and summer months of bushfires @
Binna Burra by Steve Noakes

7. Initial Revival Planning meeting
for Binna Burra Lodge - held at
the old Beechmont School site.
The meeting welcomed the visit
by the Queensland Minister for
State Development,
Manufacturing, Infrastructure
and Planning, Cameron Dick and
Scenic Rim Regional Council
Mayor Greg Christensen.
Wednesday 11 September 2019
Wednesday 11 September 2019
Taskforce visit by Queensland Government Minister and local Mayor

8. Site visit by Cameron Dick, the
Queensland Minister for State
Development, Manufacturing,
Infrastructure and Planning, Scenic
Rim Regional Council Mayor Greg
Christensen.
Along with Steve Noakes, Chairman
of Binna Burra Lodge and QFES
Assistant Commissioner
Kevin Walsh.
Wednesday 11 September 2019
Site visit by Queensland Government Minister and local Mayor

9. Friday
13 September 2019
Arrival of the
Prime Minister’s
military chopper

10. Friday 13 September 2019
Site visit by:
• Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison and his wife, Jenny.
• Minister for Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, David Littleproud
• MHR for Division of Wright in Queensland, Scott Buchholz
• MLA for Scenic Rim, Jon Krause
• Leader of State Opposition in Queensland, Deb Frecklington

11. Friday, 13 September 2019
‘… elected officials have
worried about outward
appearances since time
immemorial,
but optics puts a new spin
on things, giving a
scientific-sounding gloss
to P.R. and image-
making.’
(Zimmer 2010, New York Times)
www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/magazine/07FOB-onlanguage-t.html

12. The visit by the
PM and the
Minister was
extremely
appreciated by
Binna Burra
Lodge.
‘Such visits by
elected
officials meant
much more to
us than just the
‘optics’.
Steve Noakes
Friday
13 September
2019

13. At the top of
Timbarra Drive and
Binna Burra Road,
Beechmont –
Prime Minister of
Australia, Scott
Morrison and Hon.
David Littleproud,
Minister for Water
Resources, Drought,
Rural Finance,
Natural Disaster
and Emergency
Management
Friday,
13 September 2019

14. Leader of the State
Opposition & LNP
Leader Deb Frecklington
visits Binna Burra Lodge
with the Prime Minister
of Australia.
Taking cover behind a sturdy
tree from the sticks & stones
being thrown up from the
PM’s chopper.
Friday,
13 September 2019
Leader of the Opposition and
Shadow Minister for Trade

15. Annastacia Palaszczuk,
Premier of the State of
Queensland,
and Greg Christensen,
Mayor of Scenic Rim
Regional Council with
Steve Noakes,
Chairman,
Binna Burra Lodge.
#SolidarityTourism
Sunday 15 October 2019 – one week after the fire that devasted Binna Burra.

16. Sunday 15 October 2019 –
one week after the fire that
devasted Binna Burra.
'We greatly appreciated the
visit today from the Premier of
Queensland. The inter
Governmental Agency
Taskforce which the State
Government set up last week
has already meet with Binna
Burra representatives and a
huge amount of immediate
response.
Progress has been made in
relation to assistance and
finding job for our former staff
as well as site safety, repairing
the national park, and
infrastructure such as power,
water & sanitation and roads.’
Steve Noakes
Chairman, Binna Burra Lodge
Scenic Rim Regional Council Mayor Cr Greg Christensen and Steve Noakes welcome
Annastacia Palaszczuk, Premier of Queensland

17. Sunday 15 September, 2019
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said officers were investigating arson as a possibility in the
Sarabah fire in Gold Coast Hinterland, which destroyed 11 houses and five businesses.

19. Tuesday 8 October 2019.
Visit from Governor-
General of Australia
His Excellency
David Hurley
and Her Excellency
Mrs Linda Hurley.
Photo from Scenic Rim Regional Council

20. With assistance of National Bushfire Recovery Agency assessment,
Minister Littleproud announced joint funding support from the
Commonwealth & Queensland Governments (Category D of the Disaster
Recovery Funding Arrangements).
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the Queensland Reconstruction
Authority will oversee the $1.775 million fund’s delivery, making sure it
goes towards clean-up and stabilizing the cliff face to ensure safety around
the site into the future’ Joint Press Statement on 5 March 202 by Minister
Littleproud and Premier Palaszczuk.
Includes:
• $1.3 million for stabilisation works to the
cliff above walking trails
• $275,000 sire clean up and debris removal
• $200,00 for new Master Planning
Total: $1.775 million
5 March 2020
https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidlittleproud/Pages/commonwealth-queensland-bushfire-recovery-binnaburra-lodge.aspx

22. ‘As the first significant tourism facility to be impacted by the wide-scale wildfires across Australia during the
spring/summer of 2019/2020, the National Bushfire Recovery Agency assessed the Binna Burra Lodge proposal as
a priority for recovery in Queensland.
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority will oversee the $1.775 million fund’s delivery, making sure it goes
towards clean-up and stabilising the cliff face to ensure safety around the site into the future.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “Under this funding, the Binna Burra Lodge will also undertake
master planning to inform its recovery and restoration needs after the September fires.’ She added that ‘The
Queensland Government wants to see this historic lodge, which has been a jewel in our state’s tourism crown since
1933, back on its feet and welcoming guests. This is why we set up the Binna Burra Taskforce in September last
year, to fast-track its recovery.’
‘Partnerships are critical to recovery after major bushfire devastation’ said Noakes.
www.binnaburralodge.com.au/media-release/pivitol-point-in-bushfire-recovery/

23. ‘At Binna Burra, we talk about our post bushfire PALs – Partnerships, Alliances and Linkages. One PAL has been Hon.
Cameron Dick, Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning. On the same day of
the 8 September 2019 bushfire, he called me and offered to immediately set up a Queensland Government Binna
Burra Recovery Task Force.
That Task Force which has now run its six-month time-frame has been highly appreciated by all at Binna Burra.
It was invaluable in helping us through the maze of local, state and federal government agencies necessary after the
bushfires and also in our submissions via the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and the Federal Government’s
National Bushfire Recovery Agency.’
‘The partnership between the local, state and federal governments is substantially enabling our post-bushfire
recovery efforts’ concluded Noakes.
www.binnaburralodge.com.au/media-release/pivitol-point-in-bushfire-recovery/

24. On 6 January 2020, the National Bushfire Recovery Agency (the Agency) was
established by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, to lead and coordinate a national
response to rebuilding communities affected by bushfires across large parts of
Australia.
The Agency is led by Mr Andrew Colvin, APM, OAM, former Commissioner of the
Australian Federal Police, who will report to the Prime Minister through the
Minister for Emergency Management, David Littleproud MP.
www.bushfirerecovery.gov.au/about

25. www.bushfirerecovery.gov.au/about

27. Meeting via zoom on Wed 8 April 2020

28. September 2019