Mayor Jenny Whitney said the ERM model aligns risk management principles and processes with the organisation’s overall governance, strategy and planning, management, reporting processes, policies, values and culture.

“Given the broad services and critical infrastructure Council provides, we deal daily with levels of
uncertainty,” she said.

“Uncertainty leads to a risk that something other than the intended objective may occur. Council
has to manage risk carefully to ensure that the consequence and likelihood of risks are treated to either remove the risk or to at least minimise the impact to an acceptable level.

“Living in North Queensland the weather is an obvious risk to our community and Council’s
business. But other threats include matters such as financial losses, injury to our staff and damage to the environment.

“It is important that Council acknowledges risks can be positive in the form of an opportunity for
Council, but risks are more often considered negatively as threats to our business.

“It is also important that Council identifies opportunities where they occur to ensure we maximise
the value to the community in all that we do.

“The ERM framework that Council has adopted will ensure Council manages both threats and
opportunities throughout the organisation to ensure our services and infrastructure are not
disrupted and to continue to protect our community.

“This is another example of this Council administration putting in place strong and responsible
governance.

“The ERM approach will ensure that risk management is performed consistently throughout the
whole organisation and risks are assessed and managed in a context that is relevant to each part of the organisation.

“All levels of staff have a role to play in adopting risk management awareness and integrating
risk management activities within their business unit environments,” she said.

The Council’s ERM Policy, Framework and processes are aligned to the current Risk Standard,
AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009.

Ends

For media enquiries, contact:
Kate Lennox, Communications Manager
Phone: 07 4945 0614, 0427 458 369 or Email: kate.lennox@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au