Part of a Master thesis titled “Valuing Volunteers: Better understanding the primary motives for volunteering in Australian emergency service”, this discussion paper critically analyses the all-hazards risk management policy context within which Australian emergency services operate, in order to evaluate the efficacy and integrity of current processes for determining and resourcing national emergency management priorities. The paper concludes that while climate change-related natural hazards pose substantial and growing risks to life and property, Australia’s national emergency management priorities are distorted by fear-based perceptions.