The meeting was attended by representatives from the City of Launceston, Tasmania Police, the Bureau of Meteorology, the Flood Recovery Taskforce, and the community. 

Speakers noted some key challenges when responding to a flood event of this magnitude, such as public messaging and communication, deciding whether or not to evacuate and tackling response and recovery concurrently. 

Tasmania Police Commander Brett Smith said the key focus at all times during the flood response was on the protection of life.

The speakers agreed that lessons have been, and would be, learnt from the event, which is unprecedented in recent times. 

There was also an emphasis on community responsibility in recovery and the need for community driven recovery. 

“It’s about working together to come up with lateral thinking to come up with innovations to move forward,” Tasmanian Flood Recovery Taskforce chairman Peter Edwards said. 

Mr Edwards also highlighted the value of previous planning for such disasters that helped manage the event as it happened and a swift recovery response. 

Bureau of Meteorology hydrologist Thomas Pagano said the flood event was the most significant he has seen since coming to Tasmania. 

He said the North Esk River flow peaked at 800 cumecs, which is the equivalent of approximately 800 tonnes of water per second. 

“It’s millions of tonnes of water each day, so it’s a significant amount,” Mr Pagano said. 

Also among the speakers was psychologist Rob Gordon, who spoke about the mental health impacts of flood recovery.

Mr Gordon noted the ongoing impact of stress and disruption and encouraged those effected by the floods to seek help where needed.

Presentations by the speakers was followed by a question and answer session where the audience's feedback and questions were welcomed. 

The City of Launceston highlighted it’s Your Voice, Your Launceston online platform that provides a space for the public to provide feedback and comment on the recent handling of the flood and the recovery.