Australia’s new National Resilience Taskforce will lead nation-wide reforms to reduce the impact and financial burden of disasters.

Minister for Law Enforcement and Cyber Security Angus Taylor said in April that the Taskforce's first priority is to develop a five-year national disaster mitigation framework to reduce the impact of disasters.

"The framework will be developed in consultation with the states and territories and the private sector, including insurance and finance, and will seek to limit risks, provide prevention strategies, and improve decision-making," Mr Taylor said.

"It will also establish a national disaster risk information capability to equip decision-makers and Australians with the knowledge they need to prepare for natural disasters.

"Natural disasters have cost the Australian economy on average more than $18 billion per year for the past 10 years.

"As Australians we know we are lucky to live in this beautiful country, but we are also all too familiar with the disruption and devastation bush fires, cyclones, flooding and droughts can cause.

"The Australian Government is committed to working with the states and territories to prepare for future disasters, and will continue to provide more than $26 million per year for Natural Disaster Resilience.”

Date:

10 Jul 2018

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR)

Themes:

Advocacy & Media

Hazards:

Flood, Heat Wave, Wild Fire

Countries:

Australia, Mongolia

Regions:

Asia, Oceania