Preparing for the unprecedented: Report on RC into National Natural Disaster Arrangements

Full title - Preparing for the unprecedented: implementation of the Report of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements

Associate Professor Michael Eburn - leading researcher in the area of emergency services, ANU College of Law (from 4:20mins)
Professor Brendan Sargeant - Head of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, the ANU Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs (from 19:47mins)
Dr Arnagretta Hunter - Physician and cardiologist, ANU Medical School (from 30:53mins)
Prof Peter Kanowski - Professor of Forestry in the Fenner School of Environment & Society (from 48:28mins)
Q&A discussion from 1:03:30mins

The Black Summer bushfires were immensely destructive, burning through an area equivalent to the size of Ireland, and fuelled by months of record-breaking temperatures and drought. The New South Wales bushfire inquiry found that this bushfire season was unprecedented due to its length, intensity, and areas impacted.

Following this fire season, The Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements was formed to examine how prepared Australia is to respond to bushfires and other natural disasters.

The Commission presented its report in October 2020, outlining its recommendations. In the report, the Commission stated that “We need to do much more than put out fires”, and called for more focus on avoiding or mitigating disasters as much as possible, as focusing on addressing disasters as they happen is not enough.

The next important step to consider is how will government, industry and society go about the challenge of implementing the Commission’s wide-ranging recommendations?

This expert panel brings together academics from across the ANU to discuss this question, and the recommendations of the latest Royal Commission, focusing on the barriers, opportunities, and practicalities of implementation. The panel will focus on four key areas – national arrangements, the role of the defence forces, health and land management.

This event has been organised by the Disaster Risk Science Institute, the Fenner School of Environment and Society, and the Climate Change Institute at The Australian National University.