In this policy options paper, and longer companion paper, the author addresses the importance of preparedness in Australia and the need to reform national disaster response capability. He also highlights the compounding dimensions of the challenges — from climate change, to geopolitical threats and risks to social cohesion — as well as the corresponding opportunities for reform of traditional security domains, emergency management and democratic resilience.

Key points:

• Climate change impacts, geopolitical threats, worries about social cohesion and disengagement from civic life are deeply interlinked challenges facing Australia.
• Existing disaster preparedness and response capabilities are poorly optimised across the federation.
• Policy should recognise the compounding dimensions of these challenges, as well as the corresponding collateral benefits of reform between traditional security domains, emergency management and democratic resilience.

Key recommendations:

• Disaster response capabilities across the federation must be optimised, and this should start with explicit agreement on how capabilities and responsibilities are divided in given scenarios.
• A new Green Army- or AmeriCorps-style program should be established, providing one mechanism with which to reinvigorate civic life and a means of funding resilience-oriented initiatives.