“We need to really galvanise around building infrastructure – public and private –[to become] more resilient for these sorts of events.”

Mr Johnston said planning laws had to be overhauled because they had “put people in the face of these disasters” for decades.

“That’s not a criticism of this government or any government in recent times – it’s happened over almost 100 years,so we’ve got to address that,” he said.

Flooding has elevated national disaster spending asan issue heading into the federal election.

Brisbane flood insurance policies were updated with standard definitions of the eventsafter 2011. Mr Johnston said on Wednesday the insurer’s bill could be larger this time around,with the flooding covering a much larger area.

Council planning laws were alsooverhauled after 2011. In a later press conference,Brisbane lord mayor Adrian Schrinner said these had a positive effect on development.

“The impacts on a lot of those newly developed areas have been managed better than the impacts on some of the older areas,” Cr Schrinner said.

“Buildings are built at higher levels now and while we see,for example,flooding that has gone into basements of buildings,the habitable areas of a lot of those buildings weren’t affected.

“But we’re always open to working with the community,working with other levels of government,to make any improvements that are necessary.”

Insurance Council of Australia chief executive Andrew Hall met with state and federal government stakeholders in Brisbane on Wednesday to update them on insurers’ activity and discuss the availability and affordability of flood cover.

While residents in some areashave had days to begin clean-up efforts after localised floodwater receded,Brisbane’s formal “mud army” would get to work from Friday.

More than 10,000 people have registered online to help those who request help through the program.

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