Actioning the piecemeal disaster mitigation approaches across Australia

Policy development opportunities for disaster management

The author strongly believes that there needs to be improved government and agency disaster policies and this is outlined in the full review.

Benefits an expanded federal/ state and local disaster mitigation program

Benefits of an expanded federal/ state and local disaster mitigation program to tackle disasters over the next 6-9 years across Australia include obtaining higher returns on disaster investment than other projects. Other benefits include educed individual bushfire disasters and associated costs, budget impacts and community/ firefighter and ecosystem impacts; reduced ongoing repeat disasters and associated costs, reduced budget impacts and community/ firefighter and ecosystem impacts; reduced community bushfire deaths and safer firefighting; assisting regional economies; and reduced insurance premiums and uninsurance;

Conclusions

There are big opportunities for Australia to be ahead of the pack, lead the game and quickly action disaster mitigation economic opportunities.

There are large benefits of an expanded federal/ state and local disaster mitigation program to tackle disasters over the next 6-9 years across Australia

Suggested ways forward include discussing opportunities and disaster approaches with Premiers, the Treasurers and the Productivity Commissions in each state, the Prime Minister and local government officials.