Maintaining momentum at the 2024 Australian Disaster Resilience Conference
This year marked the seventh anniversary of the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference and we’re proud to share that it was our biggest conference yet. For the first time, both the conference and professional development field trip sold out!
Since inception of the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference in 2018, our sector has seen an increasing number of unprecedented disasters, often overlapping and cascading. These disasters highlight many areas of vulnerability in our communities, landscapes, businesses and governments.
Over the past few years, Australia has faced impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, bushfires, floods, cyclones and storms, coupled with the pressures of economic downturn and increasing cost of living. The Australian Disaster Resilience Conference confronted these issues head on and collaboratively explored how we can navigate this new normal and prepare for our future.
The two-day conference program featured two streams of presentations, offering a comprehensive conference experience that delegates could tailor according to their interests, as well as fantastic keynote speakers who explored topical and pressing issues relevant to our sector.
Dr Lori Moore-Merrell, DrPH, MPH, U.S. Fire Administrator from FEMA presented her keynote address on ’Transformational leadership: innovation in a world of change,’ before Douglas D'Antoine, Recovery Executive Officer from the Shire of Derby West Kimberley, took to the stage for his keynote presentation on ‘Recalibrating Best Practice - Aboriginality and the Fitzroy Valley Flood Recovery Working Group.’
The following day, Dr Catriona Wallace, Adjunct Professor and Founder of Responsible Metaverse Alliance, shared her keynote presentation ‘Checkmate humanity: the how and why of responsible AI,’ closely followed by Brendan Moon AM, Coordinator General of National Emergency Management Agency who explored ‘Disruption as innovation: designing for risk in Australia’ in his keynote address.
This year’s inspiring keynote speakers set the tone for each day's events, prompting delegates to consider the ways we can create change for a more disaster resilient future. As the program continued, the exceptional work taking place across our country became evident through the passion and dedication of our speakers. Feedback from delegates is that this year’s sessions were particularly inspiring and engaging.
In the popular panel discussion ‘Masculinities, culture and disaster resilience,’ there were no empty seats left as AIDR’s very own John Richardson, alongside a diverse panel of experts including Dr Emma McNicol and Bhiamie Williamson from Monash University, Steve O'Malley from Gender and Disaster Australia, Collin Sivalingum from Australian Red Cross and Antony Ruru from Fire and Emergency New Zealand, explored how culture influences perceptions of masculinity, and how masculinity influences perceptions and responses to disaster.
Image: Panel discussion ‘Masculinities, culture and disaster resilience' during ADRC24
Source: AFAC
Anne Crestani from the Resilient Villages Project, and Karen Cody and Catherine MacNamara from ABCD Inc, presented 'Disaster resilience is built for the community by the community,' sharing their valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges of community-led recovery. Their presentation and the professional development field trip highlighted the value and effectiveness of communities working together to strengthen disaster readiness and recovery. They also demonstrated how lived experiences of disaster shapes their own lives and their preparations for future events.
Dr Isabel Cornes, Senior Project Officer, Knowledge Development at AIDR introduced the ‘Planning for animals’ handbook, as part of the Australian Disaster Resilience Handbook Collection. She emphasised the importance of considering animals during disaster, on the Solutions Theatre stage, in the AFAC24 Exhibition.
AIDR had a strong presence throughout the AFAC24 Exhibition with the return of Resilience Lane, the AIDR stand, and the AIDR Knowledge Centre which featured the popular poster display, offering delegates an opportunity to vote for their favourite poster. It was fantastic to see so many of our conference delegates engaging in conversations, sharing resilience and recovery experiences, reading the posters and networking with one another in these spaces. It is particularly satisfying to see the ‘residents’ of Resilience Lane each year, connecting with one another, sharing their knowledge and expertise with delegates, and adding energy and dynamism to the event.
Image: Resilience Lane in the AFAC24 Exhibition
Source: AFAC
Image: The poster display in the AIDR Knowledge Centre
Source: AFAC
The 2024 Poster Award winners were announced in the closing ceremony, on the final day of the conference. Congratulations to Shari Bent from Disaster Relief Australia for her winning poster ‘Building community partnerships and connections with a big map.’ AIDR would also like to congratulate the two highly commended posters ‘Safety in the game: sport as an effective channel of communication within all communities’ by Elijah Chan from Fire and Rescue NSW, and ‘Youth in Emergencies Development Program’ by Ness Wiebford from Australian Red Cross.
The 2024 Australian Disaster Resilience Conference brought together a diverse and passionate crowd from a range of sectors, and offered a unique experience to learn, share knowledge and collaborate with one another through thought-provoking presentations, panel discussions, networking functions, and AIDR’s exhibition space.
AIDR would like to thank all our delegates and speakers for their energy, ideas, commitment and support throughout the conference, as we maintain momentum to a more disaster resilient future.
Thank you to all our sponsors and partners for making this Australian Disaster Resilience Conference possible: NRMA Insurance, IAG Insurance, Fire to Flourish, NSW Reconstruction Authority, NEMA, Weatherzone and AFAC.