New projects are continuously being developed for Natural Hazards Research Australia’s research program, with industry partners coming on board to commission research to directly inform their own practices. Two commissioned projects are now beginning active research.
1. Development of a Safer Together Joint Research Strategy: Implementation Plan
Led by Liza Gelt (Collaborative Consulting Co) for the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, this project will use Safer Together governance structures and sector consultation to develop an agreed prioritisation process, use a structured approach to identify priority projects and ensure the transition of research into effective practice. The outcome of this project will be an agreed-upon, structured approach to implementing the Victorian Government’s Safer Together Joint Research Strategy. The Strategy outlines key science investment areas across the themes of bushfire risk, predictive capability, ecosystem values, community partnering and bushfire operations capability. A structured and strategic implementation plan is required to move from the strategy to achieving the vision of Our Future, which this project aims to develop.
2. Effectiveness of bushfire risk reduction
This is the first project of a new research partnership between Natural Hazards Research Australia and the Country Fire Authority to undertake specific research for CFA needs. Led by Dr Petter Nyman at NCEconomics, this project will build on existing research conducted on community values and indicators of the effectiveness of bushfire risk management in reducing risk to these values. The outcomes of this project will support the strategic pathway of the Victorian Government’s Safer Together Joint Research Strategy in terms of increasing sector capability in social and behavioural science research and practice to better understand community behaviours and values, as well as providing approaches that may inform improved risk modelling.