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Local to national to local

Against a background of maintaining public trust and confidence in governments, changing community expectations and increasing potential for natural events to turn into disasters, the National Disaster Resilience Strategy is designed to inform national leadership and strategic coordination.

Mitigating the impacts of natural hazard events is a shared responsibility and relies on a collective effort by the three tiers of government to make effective change.

With reference to recommendations from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Funding Arrangements (chapter 4 – data) there is clearly a need to create new data with a focus on local government. 

Data and information collected through the lens of local government will provide all councils, regions, states, national stakeholders with a method to assess, monitor and measure the challenges, opportunities and effect on local councils and communities impacted by natural hazard disasters.  New data complementing existing data sets will enable better informed decisions for investment in disaster impact mitigation by the three tiers of government.  

As set out in the National Disaster Resilience Strategy, all tiers of government have a significant role in strengthening the nation’s resilience to disasters by:

  • developing and implementing effective, risk-based land management and planning arrangements and other mitigation activities;

  • having effective arrangements in place to inform people about how to assess risks and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to hazards;

  • having clear and effective education systems so people understand what options are available and what the best course of action is in responding to a hazard as it approaches;

  • supporting individuals and communities to prepare for extreme events;

  • ensuring the most effective, well-coordinated response from our emergency services and volunteers when disaster hits; and

  • working in a swift, compassionate and pragmatic way to help communities recover from devastation and to learn, innovate and adapt in the aftermath of disastrous events.


As set out in the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework, reducing disaster risk is critical to supporting communities and economies to be resilient when a shock occurs. Recognising this, in early 2018 the Australian Government invited all states and territories, local government, and key private sector representatives to work together to co-design and develop the framework.

‘Disaster resilience and risk reduction is a shared responsibility, but often not equally shared. While individuals and communities have their roles to play, they do not control many of the levers needed to reduce some disaster risks. Governments and industry in particular must take coordinated action to reduce disaster risks within their control to limit adverse impacts on communities. More than ever, limiting the impact of disasters now and in the future requires a coordinated effort across and within many areas’.



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