The cost of the COVID-19 pandemic remains unknown. Lives directly lost to the disease continue to mount, while related health, livelihood and wellbeing impacts are still being felt. This report presents a framework for a vision of pandemic preparedness for the real world – one...

After years of floods and heavy rains, Australian authorities should prepare for widespread grass fires on a scale never-before experienced, the Climate Council and Emergency Leaders for Climate Action warn in this report.

This inquiry report looks at improving crisis communications to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. It examines ways to improve channels of communication with CALD communities, and the use of multicultural and CALD community groups and networks to distribute in-language information.

2022 will be remembered as the year of the 'great deluge' - when record-breaking rain and floods lashed large parts of Eastern Australia, causing untold devastation for Australians and the national economy. The authors of this report call for all levels of government to speed...

The impacts of natural disasters on small and family businesses can be devastating and can include damaged and destroyed assets and reduced production and revenue streams. This inquiry looks at existing education and engagement practices, with respect to promoting small business disaster resilience, and makes...

This independent review report, evaluating the outcomes from the COVID-19 pandemic, suggests that initiatives to address the well-known fault lines throughout society remained at the periphery of the planning process, rather than being placed at its core. To be better prepared for the next health...

This report details the rationale, background research and design for a platform to help local communities map resources for disaster preparedness. It sets out a first step in improving community data capability through resource mapping to enhance humanitarian action before disaster events occur.

Major flooding in NSW in February-March 2022 was a catastrophic disaster, causing widespread devastation and damage – particularly in the Northern Rivers and Hawkesbury regions. This inquiry was set up to consider the NSW Government's preparedness, coordination and response to the flooding events. While this...

This paper reports on a 3D printed tabletop board game that can be applied as a tool for co-designing resilient neighbourhoods and cities and on 'gamifying' the design of resilient cities to test markers of sustainability, community cohesion and disaster preparedness.

The key focus in this report is the impact of the 2019-20 bushfires on human health and welfare, and the recovery process for those who lived through the fires and are attempting to rebuild their lives in impacted regions and communities.

Australia’s established Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Resilience (HADR) capabilities are facing new and growing challenges. The Indo-Pacific is facing a complex network of established, evolving and intersecting climate, conflict and human-security risks. This report presents a snapshot view of the current Indo-Pacific 'threat-scape'.

While droughts are a natural part of the historical climate variability in Australia, drought conditions are likely to become more frequent, severe and longer due to climate change. The committee urges the Australian government to accept the findings and recommendations of this report to improve...

No community within Australia remains untouched by climate change. As the level of government closest to the community, councils are at the heart of responding to climate impacts. When disaster strikes, local governments work closely with communities to cope and respond. The findings and case...

Emergency recovery goes beyond survival. It is a complex process with potentially long-lasting impacts on people’s lives. Within research, policy and practice, there is a widespread assumption that preparing for a disaster has a positive impact on recovery. This report examines the emergency experiences of...

This issues paper was prepared in response to the lived experience and literature presented at the Disability and Disaster Resilience forum, held in August 2020. It builds a picture of the roadblocks to safety and wellbeing for Australians with disability in emergency management.

Affected communities need long-term support far beyond what many disaster relief volunteering organisation can often commit to. This project explores the phenomenon of support before, during and after disaster (specifically the floods in Townsville and North West Queensland), focusing on organisational support for staff to...

This review focused on preparedness and response to the K’gari bushfire event. The review makes a number of recommendations to address opportunities for improvement related to enhancing the management and protection of world heritage and cultural values.

This report explores the evolution of the humanitarian system in Indonesia. It examines key events and turning points in the country’s progression towards locally led disaster management and humanitarian action.

The 2009 bushfires in Victoria are commonly referred to as the ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires. This report presents an overview of the key learnings in the 10 years since the fires. The results show a strong individual and community capacity to recover from a disaster experience...

The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements concluded that the Commonwealth Government has the power to, and should, play a greater role in relation to natural disasters on a national scale. This document outlines how the government intends to respond.

This report focuses on broader questions of national arrangements and responsibilities, in relation to all phases of natural disasters – before, during and after. This inquiry required the Commission to consider whether these existing arrangements are as effective as they can be in a future...

As the devastating 2019–20 bushfire season showed, all Victorians are at risk from bushfires. This audit was conducted to examine if the responsible state agencies are effectively working together to reduce Victoria’s bushfire risk.

A new version of the Australian Government Crisis Management Framework (AGCMF) has been released, which comes into effect from Monday 12 October 2020. The updates ensure that arrangements which set out the Australian Government’s response to emergencies and natural disasters are up to date in...

The use of emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic — allowing governments to restrict individual freedoms, suspend constitutional norms and bypass normal parliamentary scrutiny —prompted intense public debate across Australia. But how long can a state of emergency remain in place in jurisdictions around Australia?

This report gave children and young people a platform to inform decision makers and service providers about how to best continue to support their needs before, during and after a disaster. The report also highlights the ways in which children and young people want to...