Safeguarding the community and leading a team through natural disaster with Tony Siviour • River Murray Recovery Stories E03

Tony Sivour is the general manager of the Renmark Paringa Council in South Australia. Born in Barmera, he's a long-term Riverlander who returned after gaining valuable local government experience elsewhere.

Tony worked tirelessly to protect Renmark during the major 2022 floods. His efforts focused on managing the levees, coordinating with authorities, and keeping the community informed and safe.

As flood warnings loomed, Tony quickly initiated the emergency incident management team, ensuring the council was ready to face the approaching deluge. Renmark's levee banks span 38 kilometres, and Tony coordinated repairs and fortifications, involving 350 private landowners to get consent for necessary work.

There was the additional challenge of managing media communications. Local media support was invaluable, though sensationalism required quick, centralised messaging.

Through daily meetings, Tony’s team tackled urgent issues like stormwater management, preventing internal flooding, and utilising digital elevation models for priority decisions.

Tony addressed community concerns firsthand and discussed strategies with veteran residents, reinforcing trust and ensuring everyone understood the situation’s gravity. He liaised with other affected councils, offering insights from Renmark’s experiences.

Managing cleanup efforts, Tony ensured the council’s continuous support to help the community bounce back from the flood's aftermath, prioritising safety and infrastructure.

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We hope that you enjoyed this episode of River Murray Recovery Stories, brought to you by Kintsugi Heroes.

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The Kintsugi Heroes team