Neil Breen has clashed with a Brisbane councillor over the city’s preparedness for another devastating flood event.

There are warnings today south-east Queensland is in for a wild summer of weather, including heavy rain and floods.

Today marks the deadline for the Brisbane City Council to implement 12 crucial recommendations made in former governor Paul de Jersey’s flood review report after February’s flood disaster.

Neil: I am sorry to put you on the spot, councillor, but I think hiring Justice Paul de Jersey and doing flood reviews, is rubbish. I think after the 2011 flood, Brisbane got so complacent about floods that nothing was done before 2022 and now we are looking at a third summer of record rain, and I am tipping we are going to go under again, if it rains like that. Because we are not flood-proofed.

Cr Andrew Wines: Well I obviously don’t accept your position, and if there is another event this year, the council will be very prepared. 

Press PLAY below to hear the full, fiery exchange

Cr Wines, also the council’s civic cabinet chair for the infrastructure committee, said the council had identified 39 potential evacuation centres.

Two were established this year.

“How could you have only had two? I don’t get it,” Neil said.

“We flooded in 2011 … I honestly don’t think south-east Queensland has looked itself squarely in the eye about what happened in February and March of this year.

“For the council to now say we will have 39 evacuation centres, well why did you only have two?”

It comes as the council offers prizes and incentives for Brisbane residents to sign up to the revamped Brisbane Severe Weather Alert service, ahead of the weather warnings.