Newsletter - Scientific Diversity project

This is the December 2014 newsletter from the Scientific Diversity, Scientific Uncertainty and Risk Mitigation Policy and Planning project (RMPP), with updates for project end users.

Activities under way

In recent weeks Dr Timothy Neale has been in Victoria, completing interviews with decision-makers and practitioners engaged in bushfire risk mitigation in the Barwon-Otway region. These interviews have already been very fruitful, and Dr Neale will be completing another set of interviews during a second round of fieldwork in December. These interviews will make up the primary component of the Stage 1 data for this case study. 

Over the past two months, Dr Neale, Dr Jessica Weir and Professor John Handmer have been meeting with representatives from NSWSES, Infrastructure NSW, Molino Stewart, the Insurance Australia Group and other agencies to discuss the RMPP project’s second case study, looking at flood risk mitigation in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley. Infrastructure NSW is currently heading the second stage of the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Management Review, due to report in mid-2015. We anticipate that the timeline of the RMPP project is compatible with this review and will, in fact, enrich the case study.

Quick updates

• Dr Neale, Dr Weir and Associate-Professor Tara McGee (Canada) have also been discussing the possibility of a case study based in Canada, as well as timelines for Associate-Professor McGee’s visit to Australia to contribute to an RMPP project scenario exercise.

• In October, Associate-Professor Michael Eburn presented a lecture on ‘Science and Fire Litigation’ at the ANU College of Law.

Finally, please let Timothy Neale know if you have any questions or project feedback.