Podcast: A soothing voice in the eye of the storm

Posted on 15 Apr 2025

By Greg Thom, journalist, Institute of Community Directors Australia

Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred left a trail of devastation in coastal communities in northern NSW and southern Queensland in early March.

Not for the first time in recent memory, residents were forced to deal with flooded streets and wild winds as nature vented its fury.

Sahba Hamid, SSI community manager — SSI community manager Sahba Hamid.

Some members of the regions migrant and refugee communities however faced additional hurdles that were invisible to others.

Language barriers, a lack of trust in authorities related to traumatic experiences in their countries of origin, and gaining access to reliable information on what they should do next were just some of the barriers that exacerbated the anxiety of being caught up in such a catastrophic event.

Settlement Services International community manager Sahba Hamid was on the ground in Brisbane during Alfred and saw firsthand the effect it had on her own family and those around her.

In this edition of the Community Advocate podcast, she talks about how her team swung into action to help members of the cities migrant and refugee communities, and the unique issues they face when natural disaster strikes.