Australian Disaster Resilience Conference 2018

Conference program

The rise of resilience: From the individual to the global

Enhancing recovery by supporting community resilience

Mark Crosweller

"This conference will confront the challenges and opportunities that present themselves when we put resilience at the centre. Success will demand that we learn from each other...we must find holistic solutions that consider not only what must be done, but how, by whom, and with what support."

Mark Crosweller AFSM
National Resilience Taskforce

Read the full Foreword from Mark Crosweller AFSM

Long before the principle of shared responsibility became national policy, Australian communities were demonstrating shared responsibility in action; people and organisations banding together in times of crisis to rebuild and recover

However, as we see the frequency and severity of disasters increase, the importance of cooperation takes on a new urgency. Governments, NGOs, communities and the private sector must all be proactive in embedding resilience at the heart of thought and practice.

The inaugural Australian Disaster Resilience Conference comes at a time when success in achieving greater resilience depends on the ability and capacity of all to work together to develop and sustain resilience thinking and practice into almost every facet of our daily lives.

The conference theme “The rise of resilience: from the individual to the global” reflects a movement that has been growing and evolving for some time now. A resilience approach to emergency management encompasses more complexities than a vulnerability or hazards approach. This complexity is reflected in the breadth of issues and topics covered by speakers at this conference; from examining strategy design, to information management in recovery.

This conference will confront the challenges and opportunities that present themselves when we put resilience at the centre. Success will demand that we learn from each other; analysing changing risks, identifying and evaluating options making decisions and revising strategies, particularly with those most at risk. We must find holistic solutions that consider not only what must be done, but how, by whom, and with what support.

Governments at all levels must continue to invest in authentic and diverse partnerships, with a focus on community engagement. This engagement is critical and reflecting on how we can do it better a key part of understanding and considering implications for resilience into the future.

I look forward to welcoming you to Perth where we will network, share good practice and broaden our thinking.

Mark Crosweller AFSM
First Assistant Secretary
National Resilience Taskforce
Department of Home Affairs

About the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference

The inaugural Australian Disaster Resilience Conference is hosted by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR), in collaboration with the Monash University Disaster Resilience Initiative (MUDRI). This conference will run concurrently with AFAC18 powered by INTERSCHUTZ, Australasia’s largest emergency management conference and exhibition.

The Australian Disaster Resilience Conference program theme is focused on “The rise of resilience: from the individual to the global,” encompassing national and international strategy and direction all the way through to grassroots efforts brought about by local community action. The aim of the conference is to encourage involvement, participation, engagement and partnerships around all these facets of disaster resilience.

The Australian Disaster Resilience Conference provides an unparalleled opportunity for delegates to access the AFAC18 powered by INTERSCHUTZ trade exhibition, benefit from joint keynote speaker sessions, and opportunities to meet speakers and attend poster presentations at the AIDR-hosted Knowledge Centre.

The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Research Forum precedes the conference. It focuses on the science that is making an impact across the sector. The Research Forum is not just for researchers—it’s where anyone working in natural hazards management can network with and learn from the main research teams in this field, and provides a valuable addition to the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference program.

Delegates to the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference are also able to add on professional development sessions to their conference registration. These sessions cover a variety of topics and will include the National Disaster Resilient Australia-New Zealand School Education Network (DRANZSEN) National Forum and the Planning for Spontaneous Volunteers Clinic.

The conversations had, and partnerships forged at the conference will help grow collaboration in disaster resilience. We hope communities and not-for-profits will develop their understanding of emergency services and emergency management and others in turn, can learn about building resilient families and communities.

We look forward to welcoming you to the conference.

Running concurrently with

AFAC18 powered by INTERSCHUTZ

In collaboration with

Monash University Disaster Resilience Initiative

Program by day

Download full program (PDF 2.03MB)

Wednesday 5 September

Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC Research Forum
AFAC18 Professional Development Program workshops

Thursday 6 September 2018: Australian Disaster Resilience Conference

		Opening and keynotes (Riverside Theatre)
8.00am		Opening Ceremony (shared with AFAC18)
8.30am		Keynote: Craig Fugate – Former Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (United States) (shared with AFAC18)
9.15am		Keynote: Eric Yap – Commissioner, Singapore Civil Defence Force (shared with AFAC18)
10.00am		Keynote: Mark Crosweller AFSM – First Assistant Secretary, National Resilience Taskforce, Department of Home Affairs (shared with AFAC18)
10.45am		Morning tea (Powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhibition)
		New directions in resilience thinking (River View Room 5)
11.45am		Towards a disaster resilient Australia Stuart Ellis AM – Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience
12.15pm		Building community resilience to meet future challenges Linda Black – South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Ronnie Faggotter – Department for Communities and Social Inclusion, South Australia
12.45pm		Lunch (Powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhibition)
		Measuring and assessing disaster resilience (River View Room 5)
1.45pm		Australian Natural Disaster Resilience Index Dr Melissa Parsons – University of New England; Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre
2.15pm		Local community and emergency organisational connectedness as a measure of disaster resilience Associate Professor Valerie Ingham – Charles Sturt University
2.45pm		Program evaluation, preparedness and resilience – Examples from Western Australia Dr Rachael Armstrong – Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Western Australia
3.15pm		Afternoon team (Powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhbition)
		Enhancing recovery through greater community resilience (River View Room 5)
3.45pm		Current issues facing disaster recovery Kate Brady – Australian Red Cross
4.15pm		Local empowerment and information management in a recovery context Graeme Milligan – Queensland Reconstruction Authority
4.45pm		Strengthening resilience of primary producers, primary industries and farming communities Justine Drew – Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, South Australia
5.15pm – 6.15pm		Networking function featuring the Western Australia Resilient Australia Awards Ceremony (Southern Foyer)

Friday 7 September 2018: Australian Disaster Resilience Conference

		Disaster resilience strategy and policy (River View Room 5)
8.30am		Australian Vulnerability Profile: Enhancing national preparedness for severe to catastrophic events Monica Osuchowski – Emergency Management Australia, Department of Home Affairs
9.15am		Co-designing a Disaster Resilience Strategy for South Australia Miriam Lumb – South Australian Fire and Emergency Services Commission (SAFECOM) Monica Ritz – Department of the Premier and Cabinet, South Australia
10.00am		Morning tea (Powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhibition)
		Education (River View Room 5)
11.00am		Hosted by Dr Briony Towers – RMIT University; Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre with 3x15m presentations and Q&A: Emergency resilience in the minds of students Tony Jarrett – New South Wales Rural Fire Service Child-centred disaster resilience education in north-west Australia Linley Brown – Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Western Australia Strathewen-Arthurs Creek bushfire education partnership Jane Hayward AM – Strathewen Primary School
		Activities and case studies (River View Room 5)
12.00pm		An Indigenous experience of disaster resilience, recovery and leadership Phil Rist – Nywaigi Traditional Owner Dr Margaret Moreton – Leva Consulting
1.00pm		Disaster storytelling – Bridging the divide and building community resilience Sandra Whight – Tasmania Fire Service
1.30pm		Lunch (Powered by INTERSCHUTZ Exhibition)
		Human behaviour to animals (River View Room 5)
2.30pm		Strengthening resilience and recovery through better emergency preparedness and planning for animals Dr Mel Taylor – Macquarie University; Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre
3.00pm		Animal welfare in emergencies Amanda Nardi-Wallace – Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia
		Future state: Creating a disaster resilient Australia (River View Room 5)
3.30pm		Facilitated by Andrew Huffer
4.30pm		Closing Ceremony (Riverside Theatre, shared with AFAC18)

Saturday 8 September

AFAC18 Professional Development Program field trips

Trade Exhibition

AFAC trade exhibition

Australian Disaster Resilience Conference delegates will have full access to the AFAC18 powered by INTERSCHUTZ Trade Exhibition.

Delegates will be able to network and meet like-minded peers, view posters and gain insight from speakers at the AIDR Knowledge Centre and listen to presentations from experts on the Expo Stage.