CQU's Institute for Sustainable Regional Development has warned Queenslanders not to let record summer rainfalls trick them into forgetting that 'drought' is becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Executive Director Professor Bob Miles said the International Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) maintained its prediction that Australian would experience a near permanent El Nino-like mean state of hot, dry conditions.

He said drought was more likely to be seen as normal, rather than abnormal.

Professor Miles said the IPCC also predicted greater extremes of weather, so the long droughts were likely be broken by floods.

"This summer has shown the pattern we can expect more of ... years of hot, dry conditions broken by episodes of extreme rainfall," he said.

"The widespread dam-filling rains we have had this summer should not be seen as evidence that we are returning to the weather patterns of the 1970s." Professor Miles said Queensland would need to rethink the adequacy of the policies and legislative frameworks surrounding the definition of 'drought'.

Policy makers would need to act to avert the social and economic downturns which could be caused by drier and hotter conditions.

Professor Miles said drier, hotter conditions will effect all of our daily lives including: .

our cropping and grazing industries; .

heavy industry and multinational investment; .

health of the elderly; .

tourism and the reef; .

viability of rural urban communities; .

the spread of viral disorders such as Ross River virus; .

the cost of water treatment due to blue green algae; .

as well as energy demands for cooling, pest problems, land values and forest fire incidents.

ENDS