We have all witnessed recent alarming global extremes. September 2023 was the warmest September on record globally. Here in Australia, the Bureau projects a drier and warmer summer across much of the country, increasing the risk of bushfires and heatwaves, alongside typical summer hazards such as thunderstorms and cyclones.
I recently represented Natural Hazards Research Australia at the Higher Risk Weather Season Summit hosted by the National Emergency Management Agency at Parliament House. The Summit included representatives from Commonwealth, state and local governments, NGOs and the private sector. It was pleasing to see a whole-of-nation approach on display and how well the Centre’s research program aligned with the issues discussed.
As we face worsening natural hazard risk we need to think about transformational change. What future capabilities will need to be developed and what policies will be required to ensure a safer, sustainable and resilient future. Research is key to drive innovation and to test new ideas. This was demonstrated through the Centre’s second-annual Disaster Challenge, which received entries from individuals and teams devising solutions to reduce disaster risk. This month saw three finalists pitching their ideas to a panel of judges at the Disaster Challenge final in Melbourne. The panel declared Lydia Wardale as the winner with the proposal of empowering youth-led engagement in community resilience.
Our recent work with Suncorp to convene discussions on the topic of assisted relocations demonstrates the commitment of the Centre to lead evidence-based thinking on future policy. This collaboration involved jointly hosting an event in Canberra in September involving Government and industry representatives to discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with assisted relocations. The event was opened by the Minister for Emergency Management, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, and included a keynote address by Professor Gavin Smith from North Carolina State University on experiences and lessons of flood resilience programs in the United States and New Zealand. The Centre also sponsored Professor Smith to visit stakeholders in Brisbane and Sydney to discuss resilience programs.
The Centre’s research programs continue to expand with new projects commencing and soon to commence to address natural hazard risk including projects on urban resilience, flash flooding and bushfire case studies. In addition, the Centre’s participant base has expanded welcoming both Fire Rescue Victoria and the Northern Territory Government over recent months.
I look forward to continuing discussions about the Centre’s research program as I meet with our many stakeholders over the next couple of months. To learn more about our research programs visit our website and register for one of our upcoming hazardous webinars.