The
Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements
was established on 20 February 2020 in response to the extreme
bushfire season of 2019-2020 which resulted in devastating loss of
life, property and wildlife, and environmental destruction across the
nation.
Those
fires started in Australia’s hottest and driest year on record,
with much of the 23 million hectares that burnt already impacted by
drought and the Forest Fire Danger Index reading the highest since
national records began.
The
Royal Commission delivered its final report on 28 October 2020 and
this was released on 30 October 2020.
In
summary the report found:
3.1
Australia’s national arrangements for coordinating disaster
management are complicated — there is a plethora of frameworks,
plans, bodies, committees and stakeholders, with significant
variation and different degrees of implementation.
National
coordination, in relation to both operational and policy
considerations, is necessary because disaster management is a shared
responsibility in our federation.
3.2
Effective national coordination will be a critical capability in
managing natural disasters on a national scale or with national
consequences. Arrangements need to be clear, robust and accountable.
3.3
Existing arrangements have grown organically over time to fill a
void, and have largely served Australia well. The Australasian Fire
and Emergency Service Authorities Council (AFAC), a not-for-profit
company, has led on specific areas related to fire and emergency
services. AFAC represents the Australian and New Zealand fire and
emergency
services sector, and is primarily comprised of state and territory
government fire and emergency services agencies.
3.4
National arrangements for coordinating disaster management require an
overhaul so that they are equipped to cope with increasing disaster
risks. Australia’s natural disaster arrangements and
decision-making need to be supported by informed, strategic
leadership, timely policy advice to elected officials, and a robust
and accountable national coordination mechanism.
3.5
The changes to Australia’s national arrangements for coordinating
disaster management that are contemplated in this chapter are
substantive and structural. It has therefore been necessary to set
out the current arrangements in detail. It is also necessary to do so
because much of the detail was not on the public record.
The
report also recognised what the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison federal
government has long sought to either ignore or deny – climate
change.
23.
Extreme weather has already become more frequent and intense because
of climate change; further global warming over the next 20 to 30
years is inevitable. Globally, temperatures will continue to rise,
and Australia will have more hot days and fewer cool days. Sea levels
are also projected to continue to rise. Tropical cyclones are
projected to decrease in number, but increase in intensity. Floods
and bushfires are expected to become more frequent and more intense.
Catastrophic fire conditions may render traditional bushfire
prediction models and firefighting techniques less effective.
It also recognised the significance of local knowledge and the need to engage further with Traditional Owners to explore the relationship
between Indigenous land and fire management and natural disaster
resilience.
The
report also made over eighty specific recommendations.
Most
importantly to regions like North-East New South Wales where fire
kicked off very early in the bushfire season and where we saw with
our own eyes the value aerial firefighting capabilities in keeping
fire out of our town and village streets, one of the recommendations
contained these observations:
8.106
Australian, state and territory governments should work together to
continue to improve Australia’s collective, Australian-based and
operated, aerial firefighting capabilities. Though we see merit in
the continued use of overseas-based aviation services and air crew in
some instances, Australia’s current reliance represents a
vulnerability, as demonstrated during the 2019-2020 bushfire season.
8.107
We define Australia’s sovereign aerial firefighting capability as
the collective Australian-based aerial firefighting capabilities of
the states and territories, supported by a national capability which
is jointly funded by the Australian, state and territory governments.
These capabilities should be maintained through procurement and
contracting strategies that support the Australian-based aerial
firefighting industry.
8.108
The development of a modest Australian-based and registered national
fleet of VLAT/LAT aircraft and Type-1 helicopters, jointly funded by
the Australian, state and territory governments, will enhance
Australia’s bushfire resilience. A standing national fleet would
ensure that the states and territories have the necessary resources
to call upon during periods of high demand, without the need to
reduce the operational capabilities of other jurisdictions. This
standing fleet should also include situational awareness and support
capabilities which may benefit from a nationally coordinated
approach.
8.109
Australia’s sovereign aerial firefighting capability should be
supported by ongoing research and evaluation to inform specific
capability needs, and the most effective aerial firefighting
strategies.
8.110
Australia’s sovereign aerial firefighting capability may be
supplemented by overseas based aviation services, where additional
capacity is forecast to be required and available. [my yellow highlighting]
Australian Royal Commission Into National Natural Disaster Arrangements - Report [Accessible] by clarencegirl on Scribd
Appendices to the final report can be found at
