Disaster Risk Reduction in Australia

– Name, position and email of the focal person

Andrew Coghlan, National Manager Emergency Services, acoghlan@redcross.org.au

– Has your organisation taken action on the implementation of this pledge?

Yes

– Please describe the actions taken (including challenges encountered if there is any) and provide concrete examples (including written reports, programme information, photos and videos)

Note: This report has been prepared jointly with Government

Joint progress towards this pledge includes:

Discussions between Attorney General’s Department and ARC on how the Sendai Framework would be implemented within Australia, and linked to the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. Informal discussions have also been held with the Director-General of Emergency Management Australia. A further meeting will be sought with the Director-General post the Cancun Disaster Risk Reduction Platform meeting to seek the outcomes of the Cancun meeting, and how they will be applied in the Australian context
ARC is actively involved in the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC), as a partner agency.

The Australian Government and the ARC collaborate on policy matters relating to disaster risk reduction, including through the Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience and Safer Communities, the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience, the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee and the Australian Emergency Management Volunteer Forum.
The ARC and the Attorney-General’s Department are committed to working together to progress disaster risk reduction efforts in Australia through the implementation of the Sendai Framework and the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience.

In addition, ARC is committed to the following:

Mapping goal and activities of the department against Sendai Framework and the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience.
As part of the development of an advocacy and influencing strategy, develop materials that can be used by staff and volunteers that explain the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience and the Sendai Framework.
Been involved in two major projects, Out of Uniform, examining the role of spontaneous and non-traditional volunteering roles, led by Professor John Handmer at RMIT University and Child Centred Risk Reduction, led by Professor Kevin Ronan at Central Queensland University.
Invited to be the Lead End User for a recovery research stream, led by the University Of New England and Massey University in NZ. This research stream will examine the role of social ties, and community capital and how it influences individual and community recovery processes. It is led by Shona Whitton within Emergency Services.
In 2017, look into how we better use research that is being generated by the BNHCRC, and how we can disseminate results through our volunteers and staff and help inform our own policy and practice.
Continue to work as a member of the Australian Business Roundtable for Disaster Resilience & Safer Communities.

Through the REDiPlan preparedness program, promote household preparedness, with a particular focus on individuals and communities most vulnerable to disasters.

– Attached files (the size of the attachment should not exceed 10 Mb)