National Preparedness Summit Underlines Collaboration as Key to Disaster Planning

As we near bushfire season, key stakeholders have come together as part of the Disaster Preparedness Summit to develop a united approach to effective disaster management. 

As we near bushfire season, which puts the insurance industry on heightened alert, key stakeholders have come together as part of the Disaster Preparedness Summit to develop a united approach to effective disaster management.  

The National Emergency Management Agency hosted the two-day event, attended by over 250 crisis management, response and recovery specialists from governments, industry, community, and the not-for-profit sector.  

The outlook from the Bureau of Metrology is for an impending dry and hot season. It is anticipated that parts of the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Victoria will face an increased risk of bushfire this spring, and there is a likelihood of more severe weather like the storms across southern Australia.  

Based on the Bureau’s briefing, the Summit focused on preparing and planning for various disaster scenarios.  

Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said: “By fostering collaboration and sharing best practices with state and territory government and key organisations, we are building resilience so that our communities are better prepared. The National Preparedness Summit was essential for sharing critical information about the higher risk weather season and ensuring our systems can handle multiple and cascading disaster events.”  

This is the second National Preparedness Summit, and since the last one in 2023, the Government has committed to a number of actions to improve the way Australia prepares for the higher-risk weather season. 

Some of these measures include increasing aerial firefighting investment, investing $111,457,971 in bushfire mitigation and preparedness through the second round of the Government’s flagship Disaster Ready Fund; and delivering Crisis Appreciation and Strategic Planning training across Australian and state and territory governments.