The complex challenges of disaster recovery cannot be addressed by any single individual, organisation or institution. However, collaboration is often oversimplified as a ‘magic bullet’ solution to those challenges. Current approaches to understanding collaboration often fail to acknowledge that collaboration inevitably involves conflict, as it brings together organisations with divergent interests, practices and values. This study explored this challenge through semi-structured interviews with 38 Australian disaster recovery practitioners on their experiences of conflict in collaborative partnerships. This paper finds that psychological, procedural and substantive interests all play a role in inter-agency conflict and suggests that understanding them can help recovery workers to better navigate collaborative relationships. It also argues that we need to rethink collaboration and conflict.
Pregnancy and new motherhood are common experiences of women. Ensuring that the needs of women are properly included in disaster planning requires these circumstances to be considered and addressed. This review explored the experiences of pregnant women and new mothers during emergencies in Australia. Experiences of pregnant women identified related to bushfire smoke exposure, restricted access to health care, physical impediments of pregnancy, maternal nutrition detriments, mental health effects and support, post immediate disaster effects and research gaps. Experiences of new motherhood or infant care identified included being the primary and often sole caregiver, emergency preparedness and evacuation challenges, the continuing care needs of infants, bushfire smoke exposure, physical impediments of caring for an infant and health care access issues. Domestic violence and socio-economic and other disadvantages were cross-cutting issues for pregnant women and new mothers as were their roles as emergency responders and essential workers. Motherhood should be recognised as an inter-sectional status requiring specific consideration and support during disasters. Further research as well as specific planning and resource development should be undertaken to take account of the particular needs of women.
Australia has recently experienced a series of disasters that destroyed many homes and displaced many people. Different approaches to post-disaster shelter have been implemented in the wake of these events, including accommodation provided in hotels, caravan parks, social housing or 'temporary villages' using shipping containers and modular prefabricated dwellings (pods). While these initiatives have some positive outcomes, a range of problems are also evident, particularly the protracted nature of the displacement. For people without adequate insurance, or with limited options for relocation, and in an environment of housing shortages, access to permanent housing becomes uncertain and the makeshift solutions can have severe consequences. Given the increases in the frequency and magnitude of emergencies and disasters, living in such places is untenable. Further, the development of new building regulations such as the Bushfire Attack Level ratings to minimise disaster risk adds to costs and can impede access to permanent housing. There are few studies on shelter after disasters in Australia and this points to the need for in-depth research that can inform policy and practice.
Climate projections indicate increasing frequency of intense rainfall events across Australia, even in regions where the average rainfall is planned to decrease or stay the same. When these events are rapidly unfolding, informing and warning communities are often the only, and therefore most important, actions local disaster coordinators can take. This paper shares insights from the City of Gold Coast as it sought to improve its community warning systems overtime. Key innovations included establishing preformatted flood warning areas with automated threshold-based warnings and deployment of an opt-in alerts system that reached 60,000 subscribers. These enhanced systems provided near real-time warning capability during flooding events during December 2024 and reduced the manual intervention required as well as improved message consistency. This model demonstrated effective local government adoption of public information and warnings systems and allows transferable lessons for other jurisdictions. Success factors include multi-agency collaboration, community-centred design and integration of automated systems with human oversight.
This is a personal view of the history of emergency management (EM) in Australia, starting in the 1970s. It was at that time that EM shifted from a civil defence focus to emergency management. There are many interesting episodes and issues, but this brief sketch can touch on only some at the national level with occasional mention of NSW. The broad system-officials, volunteers, trainers, researchers-worked to steadily improve the EM system and outcomes. Nevertheless, today there is significant criticism of EM in major complex events from both the public and agencies. The article concludes with a comment on EM from the perspective of the public and the realities faced by emergency services.
Knowledge of the hazards, protective actions and the language used in warning messages is essential for safety and informed decision-making particularly during flash flooding and hazardous weather events. Equally important for effective risk communication is knowledge of what recipients already know and the inclusion of context and uncertainty information in forecasts and warnings. There is limited empirical research about how people interpret warnings based on their levels of knowledge and past experiences. A survey of 1,235 people was conducted to understand people's knowledge of the causes of flash flood, the risks, effects, protective actions and definitions as well as interpretations of terms of likelihood used in rainfall warnings. Survey results showed that the hypothesis that emergency management practitioners had more knowledge of flash flood than the public was only partially supported. Results showed gaps in understanding, in particular, the verbal probabilistic terms of 'likely' and 'possible' that are used in rainfall warnings were interpreted inconsistently. This presents a challenge when communicating uncertainty. This study shows the need to improve the communication of uncertainty in forecasts and warnings and advises the use of defined numerical probabilities with verbal terms.
This paper analyses how legal and policy frameworks in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally address gender equality during emergencies and disasters with a specific focus on unpaid caregiving and employment risks for women following disasters. Despite Aotearoa New Zealand's commitment to international instruments emphasising gender-responsive disaster laws and policies, domestic laws and policies are largely gender-blind or address gender considerations superficially. Meanwhile, national gender equity laws and policies often lack specific guidance for disaster contexts. The systematic failure to integrate disaster risk management and gender equity frameworks deprioritises care and disproportionately affects the economic wellbeing of women. This was observed during the Canterbury earthquakes over 2010-11, the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21 and Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. This paper argues for a comprehensive, forward-looking national strategy for disaster management and gender. Recommendations include gender mainstreaming in all disaster laws and policies, which includes explicitly valuing and recognising care work and work disparities in disaster risk management frameworks.
Cyclone Gabrielle struck Aotearoa New Zealand in February 2023 and was one of the most devastating disaster events in the country's recent history. Response efforts involved a wide range of stakeholders and exposed critical coordination challenges. This study examined the effectiveness of these responses through 15 semi-structured interviews with representatives from national and local emergency management agencies, non-government organisations and community groups, as well as marae [meeting place] leaders involved in the response. It focused on the coordination among these different actors to identify strengths, gaps and challenges, and to understand the implications for disaster resilience. Findings reveal systemic issues in communication and coordination that hindered timely and equitable response, particularly in reaching people in rural areas, collaborating with M & amacr;ori communities and engaging volunteers. Cultural disconnects, under-utilisation of local networks and training gaps for surge staff and emergency personnel also limited response effectiveness. The study highlights the need to strengthen pre-disaster relationships with iwi [tribes], marae and community-based groups to enhance workforce preparedness and embed culturally responsive practices.
Emergency management in Australia continues along a path of professionalisation. To support that process, a range of activities must be completed and research into the human capacities of the emergency manager role in Australia was undertaken. Emerging from that research is the Emergency Management T-Shaped Transdisciplinary Model. The model provides a framework for the selection, development and recognition of the defined roles of Emergency Manager, Response Manager and Recovery Manager. By using the Emergency Management T-Shaped Transdisciplinary Model the key roles can be identified, discussed, evaluated and adopted. Thus, the development of these roles are described and provide a means to develop understanding of the roles and underlying human capacities requires training, education, certification and policy to be developed and applied in a consistent manner. This will support future emergency management practitioners as well as the professionalisation of emergency management in Australia.
Queensland's exposure to high-risk weather events highlights the need to continuously review emergency communication practices. Between July 2023 and April 2024, Queensland faced 26 extreme weather events, including Tropical Cyclone Kirrily, which struck near Townsville in January 2024. This study assesses the alignment of 12 emergency alerts issued during Tropical Cyclone Kirrily in Queensland in January 2024 with the IDEA model (Internalisation, Distribution, Explanation, Action) and guidelines from the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. The alerts were assessed for their alignment with the IDEA model's elements and the clarity of the recommended actions for affected communities. They were systematically analysed to determine their effectiveness in providing timely and understandable messages, their level of personalisation and if they were disseminated through official channels. The findings revealed that the alerts exhibited deficiencies in the IDEA model's internalisation, explanation and action components.
Natural disasters, such as bushfires and floods, frequently impact Australian communities and lead to significant legal challenges for affected individuals. This paper examines the patterns of legal service utilisation by people affected by such events using data from a statewide provider of free disaster-related legal assistance. This research presents findings on 6 primary legal issue categories of insurance, grants, tenancy (loss of dwelling), tenancy (not loss of dwelling), goods and services, and environment/neighbours. The findings suggest that assistance for different types of legal issues is requested at different stages of the recovery process. The analysis highlights the importance of timely and tailored legal assistance to support recovery and resilience. By understanding these patterns, policy makers and service providers can better allocate resources to improve access to necessary support by affected individuals. This research contributes to the understanding of the legal dimensions of disaster recovery and underscores the critical role of legal assistance in response and recovery. Given that many people seek non-legal assistance when resolving legal problems, these results are also relevant for government and community service organisations that provide non-legal support to people experiencing these types of problems post-disaster.
In 2022, the Northern Rivers of New South Wales experienced a significant flood event. River levels and resulting damage were the worst recorded equating to billions of dollars in damages. Local agencies in the area played a critical role in the response and recovery but were commonly excluded from formal processes. A study of the experience and role of local place-based agencies examined their place in emergency and disaster management through focus groups with agency representatives. This research aimed to understand the experiences of these place-based agencies and their contribution to disaster management within the community. Findings highlight the negative effects experienced by these organisations of their exclusion from emergency planning processes both pre- and post-disaster. This paper argues for acknowledgment of the important contributions place- based agencies make to disaster-affected communities as well as the need for their inclusion in formal processes across all phases of emergency management. Using the experience of the Northern Rivers floods, the inclusion of place- based agencies 'at the table' will enhance planning and management capacity and build community resilience.
Across the globe, countries grapple with strains on resources and the effects of climate change on the ways populations live. Australia's fresh water supplies are vulnerable and the nation will continue to experience water security issues. Thus, understanding the perceptions of people to the water security threat will assist in developing effective mitigation strategies. To identify these perceptions, a case study of residents in the coastal city of Townsville in north Queensland, Australia, was undertaken. A total of 299 participants were recruited who completed an online survey that, in line with construal level theory, presented water scenarios as proximal and distal in terms of spatial, temporal, hypothetical and social distances. Results were that distal threats and previous exposure to water-security threats elicited higher individual threat perceptions. This research offers considerations for future water security mitigation strategies that encourage water-saving behaviour, particularly in this region.
This article examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into lessons management processes in emergency management, focusing on the Real-time Artificially Intelligent Doctrine (RAID) model. Drawing on insights from post-event inquiries, organisational culture research and collaborative frameworks, this paper evaluates how AI can address systemic challenges in translating lessons into practice. By synthesising findings from research across 20 years, this paper demonstrates how RAID's AI-driven approach complements existing lessons management frameworks while overcoming barriers to implementation.
In view of the increasing magnitude and frequency of hazards, governments and international bodies are exploring innovative strategies for managing or reducing risks and responding to emergencies. As there is an urgent need for responsiveness, it is crucial to analyse response considering both the rapid and slow onset nature of these events. While public sector organisations grapple with the perpetual challenge of making decisions given the ambiguous, uncertain and complex characteristics of hazards, exploring the nature of institutional pressures emanating from stakeholder expectations and demands, the mechanisms that drive institutional responses and the typology of responses that can be deployed to reduce risks is crucial. This study involved extensive literature review and semi-structured interviews of public sector organisations and international non-governmental organisations funded projects. Both interviews and textual data based on observational findings from a multi-scenario tertiary-level disaster risk management education simulation-based learning activity were analysed thematically to aid the design and development of the framework presented. The findings offer opportunities for authorities and stakeholders to facilitate responsiveness while improving informed decision-making and political will for managing or reducing risks and emergency.
The road network is one component of a region's disaster resilience context and it is recognised that roads are an important factor in community safety and emergency management capability. This paper presents a case study of an innovative rapid assessment methodology that was developed to identify and prioritise the critical road assets in the vast road network of the Warrumbungle Shire local government area in New South Wales. The case study takes the perspective of roads function and value that support community resilience particularly in times of extreme flood, storm or bushfire. The structure of the methodology facilitates its expansion to include any hazards that may be relevant in an area. This model has transference to other locations where road networks require assessment to assist in emergency management planning and community safety.
The increasing number, duration and intensity of extreme heat events associated with a changing climate demand investment in preparedness in settings where people learn, work, play and live. The success of interventions and resilience initiatives relating to community level emergency and disaster management as well as future thinking on climate change adaptation is enhanced when communities are closely involved in the development and implementation. The Citizen Science for Cooler School's project (CS2) was a 12-month pilot that explored heat risk in Queensland schools and involved students as scientists to learn about and consider ways to manage identified 'hotspots' on school grounds. Two schools in South East Queensland were selected after meeting eligibility requirements. In partnership with researchers, students in Science Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) clubs used inquiry-based methods to understand the heat problem and its effects. They used scientific equipment to identify school hotspots and, during guided classroom activities, students planned projects to mitigate heat-health concerns. Alongside this student involvement was the development of the Heat Risk and Preparedness Toolkit that was co-designed by researchers and school staff. This paper presents the project's findings, recommendations for future testing and options for development and application of the project deliverables in more Queensland schools.
Surf lifesavers are an important component of Australia's emergency workforce. Despite significant coastal safety and emergency response knowledge, surf lifesavers are rarely consulted on coastal issues. This paper reports the findings of a survey of Surf Life Saving Australia members to determine perspectives on current and future coastal issues to better inform future support for members. In the 898 completed surveys, respondents identified 'swimming outside the patrol flags', a 'lack of swimming ability', 'rip currents' and 'increased coastal visitation' and 'extreme weather' as important coastal issues in their area. A total of 61 per cent of respondents felt these issues were changing and there was a need to respond to emerging challenges presented by increased beach visitation, language needs for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, low or poor understanding of beach conditions and surf knowledge, a lack of understanding of the flags and poor knowledge of coastal erosion. Addressing these issues via public education, changes to signage, safety campaigns and training should be considered. The survey findings influence Surf Life Saving Australia practice through development of behaviour change focused public education materials and improved member training. These findings serve as a baseline for repeat surveys in the future to assess change that supports this essential workforce into the future.
Studies of how Community Sector Organisations (CSOs) negotiate their role in place-based disaster risk reduction and resilience reveal a fundamental disconnect between the policy aspiration of 'shared responsibility' and its operational reality at a grassroots level. This paper presents findings from an empirical study in South East Queensland about how workers in frontline community sector organisations interpret the concept of shared responsibility. Seven representatives from 6 different community sector organisations were interviewed about what shared responsibility meant to them. The study found that these workers understand this term to involve horizontal service coordination and teamwork between service organisations rather than vertical lines of accountability between government and the community. Study participants described shared responsibility in very context-specific ways and perceived that their role in shared responsibility was often minimised and misunderstood by government agencies. This study also found that the responsibility of property developers and strata scheme operators in risk reduction is confusing and poorly understood. This remains an underexamined area of research. This paper recommends actions that move accountability towards these influential private sector actors. This study demonstrates that despite shared responsibility being a key principle of risk reduction policy, community sector workers are unfamiliar with the term. Reform of policy needs to meaningfully detail how responsibility is shared.
