Australian Bushfire Climate Plan 1

Australian Bushfire
and Climate Plan

Final report of the National Bushfire and Climate Summit 2020
Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA) exists to catalyse all levels of
government and community members to recognise increasing threats and to
urgently act on climate change.
Informed by climate science and centuries of combined experience, ELCA is working to

ensure that fire and emergency services and land managers are better equipped and
resourced to protect Australian communities from increasingly frequent and damaging
extreme weather events, but with the realisation that the scale of disasters under a
changing climate will increasingly overwhelm response and recovery capabilities, as
occurred in Black Summer 2019 - 2020.
We are actively shaping the national conversation about climate change and extreme
weather, by drawing the media spotlight when and where it’s needed, engaging with all
state and federal bushfire inquiries and commissions and through convening and engaging
with a broad range of people and organisations who may otherwise not have had a voice.
Over June and July 2020, ELCA brought together leading climate scientists, former and
current emergency leaders, Indigenous fire practitioners, doctors, veterinarians, farmers,
community leaders, social service providers, economists, mayors, bushfire survivors, and
many other members of the community for the National Bushfire and Climate Summit 2020.
This report documents key findings and recommendations.
Published by Emergency Leaders for Climate Action and the Climate

Council of Australia Ltd.
ISBN: 978-1-922404-05-3 (print)
978-1-922404-04-6 (digital)
© Emergency Leaders for Climate Action and the Climate Council of
Australia Ltd 2020.
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the Climate Council of Australia Ltd and the authors in the following
manner: Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan: Final report of the
National Bushfire and Climate Summit 2020.
Authors: Greg Mullins, Simon Bradshaw and Alix Pearce.
—
Cover image: “Belrose Hazard Reduction” by Flickr user NSW RFS
Media Services licensed under CC BY-NCND 2.0.
This report is printed on 100% recycled paper.
Contents
Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1
Priority recommendations........................................................................................................... 5
List of summit participants........................................................................................................ 9
A national response to the bushfire crisis fuelled by climate change........................11
Part 1: Climate change and the changing nature of fires 12

Part 2: Landscape management in the age of climate change (fuel management, 13
cultural and prescribed burning)
Part 3: Dealing with more dangerous fires under climate change 15
Part 4: National coordination 17
Part 5: Research, training, capacity building and community inclusion 19
The cost of bushfires fuelled by climate change............................................................... 21
Part 1: Federal, state and territory funding for firefighting resources (including 22
forestry, national parks and fire services and disaster funding mechanisms)
Part 2: The health costs of bushfires and climate change 25
Part 3: The insurance costs of bushfires and climate change 28
Part 4: Costs for bushfire affected communities and the organisations that support them 30
Case study: Mount Barney Lodge 33
Bushfires and climate change in NSW..................................................................................35
Part 1: Physical and mental health impacts of bushfires 36

Part 2: Supporting communities to manage land and worsening fires, and to protect 38
ecosystems and wildlife
Part 3: Community impact – economy, infrastructure and agriculture 40
Part 4: Achieving change through community action 42
Case study: Lake Conjola community-led recovery 45
Bushfires, climate change and the community sector..................................................... 47

Image credits..................................................................................................................................55
Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan
Introduction
The severity and scale of Australian bushfires response capabilities, and more work to reduce
is escalating bushfire risks. Sadly, those warnings fell on deaf ears
and, as the world watched on in horror, those same
Australia’s Black Summer fires over 2019 and 2020 warnings became a harsh reality.
were unprecedented in scale and levels of destruction.
Fuelled by climate change, the hottest and driest year It is clear the magnitude of the Black Summer crisis
ever recorded resulted in fires that burned through land demands urgent, determined and evidence-based
two-and-a-half times the size of Tasmania (more than 17 actions and investment. The most important action
million hectares), killed more than a billion animals, and required is a concerted effort to deal with the key,
affected nearly 80 percent of Australians. This included driving force behind worsening extreme weather and
the tragic loss of over 450 lives from the fires and disasters – global heating driven by the burning of
smoke, more than 3,000 homes were destroyed, and coal, oil and gas.
thousands of other buildings.
Effective action first demands listening to the science
While unprecedented, this tragedy was not and to the experiences of those on the frontlines of
unforeseen, nor unexpected. For decades climate the climate crisis, including emergency responders
scientists have warned of an increase in climate- and affected communities themselves. It also requires
related disasters, including longer and more significant reflection, both on the events, their causes,
dangerous bushfire seasons, which have become the response, and a full investigation of how we can
directly observable over the last 20 years. Extremely better prepare and respond in the future.
hot, dry conditions, underpinned by years of reduced
rainfall and a severe drought, set the scene for the
Black Summer crisis. The National Bushfire and Climate Summit
Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (ELCA), a The National Bushfire and Climate Summit brought
group of 33 former Australian fire and emergency together hundreds of participants from across the
service leaders, from every state and territory, warned country, and the world, to share their experiences,
of the unfolding conditions back in April 2019. They and to formulate recommendations to address the
predicted a catastrophic fire season, urged stronger worsening risk of devastating bushfires fuelled by
action on climate change, an increase in emergency climate change.
While unprecedented, this tragedy was not unforeseen.

For decades climate scientists have warned of an
increase in climate-related disasters, including longer
and more dangerous bushfire seasons.
1
Introduction
Organised by Emergency Leaders for Climate It is fundamental to dealing with the long-term
Action and the Climate Council, former and current escalation of disaster risks that Australia must do better
emergency leaders came together with Indigenous fire to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by moving
practitioners, health professionals, farmers, community beyond fossil fuels. And, in order for this to happen, we
leaders, social service providers, economists, local need a strategic approach to bushfires that spans all
mayors, climate scientists, bushfire survivors and many areas of government and community, one that is driven
others to address this challenge. This report is the by strong national leadership with clearly defined short,
culmination of that effort. medium and long term goals.
In a series of online roundtables from June to July

2020, three central themes emerged. First, participants Recommendations - The 3 Rs - Response,
stressed the importance of urgent measures to tackle Readiness and Recovery
the underlying causes of our climate crisis, and to
drive down emissions. They recognised that many There is no doubt that bushfires in Australia have
communities and ecosystems were already being become more frequent, ferocious and unpredictable
pushed beyond their ability to adapt, and that much with major losses in 2001/02 in NSW, 2003 in the
more must be done to prevent more lives being lost, ACT, 2013 in Tasmania and NSW, 2018 in Queensland,
and more suffering being experienced by Australians 2009 Black Saturday Fires in Victoria and 2019/20 in
and communities worldwide. Queensland, NSW, Victoria and South Australia. We are
now in a new era of supercharged bushfire risk, forcing
Second, experts across emergency services, land a fundamental rethink of how we prevent, prepare for,
management and health services, all raised deep respond to, and recover from bushfires.
concerns that governments, especially the Federal
Government, had and continue to underestimate This Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan report
or ignore the rapidly escalating threat of climate provides a broad plan and practical ideas for
change. Consequently, our land management, fire and governments, fire and land management agencies
emergency services are under resourced, disaster and communities to help us mitigate and adapt to
recovery is under-resourced, and communities are worsening fire conditions. The 165 recommendations
underprepared for the worsening bushfire threat. include many measures that can be implemented right
now, to ensure communities are better protected.
Third, participants recognised the inherent strength
and resilience of local communities in responding Response
to the challenges of climate change and worsening
bushfires, and placed community leadership at the In many instances during the Black Summer, firefighters
heart of many of their recommendations. However, faced unprecedented conditions outside previous
there was recognition that communities cannot experience and training. Climate change is making fires
solve these challenges on their own and are often harder to control once they start and, in turn, the focus
insufficiently resourced to deal with the new threat of firefighting efforts must shift from containing fires
environment. Participants also recognised the vital role to rapidly extinguishing them while they are still small.
of First Nations people in partnering to better manage This is a major change in our approach and requires
the Australian landscape, with a need for greater significant investment in early detection and rapidly
understanding, funding and support for Indigenous deployable aerial and ground firefighting forces.
land and fire management.
2
To match the escalating threat and cost of bushfires, and protect firefighters’ mental health, the report
Australia must upgrade its firefighting capabilities. recommends the establishment of a new national fire
This includes better resourcing for urban and rural and emergency academy to ensure firefighters have
fire services and land management agencies, and appropriate training, particularly at strategic leadership
developing self-sufficient aerial firefighting capabilities and command levels.
rather than relying on the availability of medium and
large aerial firefighting assets that are increasingly Building community resilience in communities
difficult to source due to overlapping northern and vulnerable ahead of future fire seasons is essential.
southern hemisphere fire seasons. The Federal The report outlines a range of solutions including to:
Government should consider a scheme to pay or
reimburse volunteers deployed for extended periods > Ensure the Federal Government works with
or suffering hardships or loss of income due to their insurance companies to develop a system to safely
firefighting commitments. transition people out of high-risk properties and
areas that are becoming uninsurable, to safer areas.
In addition, there must be a consistent national
approach to sharing information and warnings on > Continue Telehealth - where people can consult
fires and other hazards including close-to-real-time their doctor over the phone to allow patients in
information sharing via a standard national app. bushfire-affected communities to access remote
Further, the Australian Defence Force’s vital support healthcare.
capabilities must be better utilised during emergencies
including better coordination (without usurping the > Establish an independent insurance price
role of emergency management agencies) and specific monitoring scheme to increase the affordability and
capabilities tailored to local needs. uptake of insurance and better protect Australians
in disaster prone areas. Insurance is a key factor in
Readiness community resilience.
The Black Summer showed that historical land > Establish and fund permanent community resilience
management practices are now insufficient to deal hubs in every vulnerable local government area. The
with the escalating threats driven by climate change. hubs would provide accessible bushfire information
The increasing intensity, scale and duration of bushfire and assist communities in developing disaster
seasons will increasingly overwhelm existing fire, preparedness plans and to remain connected
emergency management and landscape management during and following a disaster. This is crucial as
approaches. fire and emergency services facing increasing
response workloads will be increasingly restrained
Land management in this new era requires long- in their ability to work in the community education/
term, year-round and cross-tenure approaches at preparedness space.
landscape scale that incorporate better resourcing
of land management agencies, empowerment and Recovery
support of Indigenous communities, all backed by a
strong, user-driven national research capability. An The sheer scale of damage to property, communities
Indigenous-led National Cultural Fire Strategy, as well and the Australian environment during the Black
as resourcing of year-round Indigenous-led cultural and Summer was unprecedented and has overwhelmed the
fire management programs is critical, as well as better essentially ad hoc recovery arrangements developed
resourcing for hazard management programs by fire, for a previous era. It is clear that we must accept the
emergency and land management agencies. reality and prepare for more frequent and damaging
fires into the future. To meet the increasing costs
Firefighters and fire agencies, including forestry and of climate-fuelled disasters, Australia must create a
national parks agencies, must be equipped to face an national climate disaster fund to raise money through
increasingly challenging threat environment. Among a levy on fossil fuel producers, as current funding
a range of recommendations to support volunteers arrangements are administratively complex and
demonstrably insufficient.
3
Introduction
Communities will recover faster where they have We hope that the solutions outlined in Australian
been well prepared, therefore there is a significant Bushfire and Climate Plan, developed by experts
focus in this report on community resilience and and communities from across Australia, will also
readiness, with community resilience hubs being a key be reflected in the final report of the Bushfire
strategic component. Community led approaches to Royal Commission and acted upon by the Federal
disaster preparedness and disaster recovery, in which Government. We also welcome the Federal
community members are actively involved in designing Government's $88 million funding to expand
and implementing initiatives, can have higher rates of research into bushfires and natural hazards.
success and strong benefits for mental wellbeing.
Thank you
Without action on climate change, any response
to the bushfire crisis will be ineffective Emergency Leaders for Climate Action and the
Climate Council thanks the many participants in
An effective and equitable response to the bushfire the 2020 National Bushfire and Climate Summit
crisis is only possible by tackling the key driving factor - for the insights and expertise they brought to the
the climate crisis. This must start with Australia phasing roundtables, including in many cases their very raw
out the use of fossil fuels and the Federal Government and painful experiences from the recent fire season,
joining the states and territories in committing to a and for their resolve in dealing with this defining
net zero emissions policy. While it is clear we need challenge of our age, climate change.
stronger leadership from the Federal Government, any
response must also be grounded in the experiences,
leadership, needs and strengths of communities as has
been done in this report.
Image: 6 of the 33 members of ELCA.
4
Priority Recommendations
Tackling the climate crisis 5. The Federal Government, in partnership with

relevant agencies, governments and emergency
1. The Federal Government must address the services, should coordinate the development
root cause of the climate crisis and worsening of a consistent national approach to sharing
bushfires through a national commitment to net information and warnings on fires and other
zero emissions, strengthening of Australia’s 2030 hazards with the community, in as close to real
emissions reduction targets, and the managed time as possible, including a standard national
phase-out of all fossil fuels. (See recommendation app. (See recommendations 28-29, p. 17.)
1, p. 12.)
6. The Federal, State and Territory Governments
should establish and fund permanent community
Dealing with more dangerous fires due to resilience hubs in every local government area
climate change in vulnerable parts of the country. These will
enable easy access to information on bushfire
2. Federal, State and Territory Governments should risks and resilience strategies; assist communities
adequately resource emergency services so in developing disaster preparedness and
that they can prioritise the early detection response plans; and help communities remain
and extinguishing of fires, including through connected during and following a disaster. (See
an automated network of sensors, and the recommendation 105, p. 30.)
immediate deployment of aerial and ground
firefighting crews on days of very high fire danger 7. Ensure a new federal law that provides a
and above. (See recommendations 10-17, p. 15.) clear role and accountability for the Federal
Government before, during and following a
3. Increase Federal, State and Territory funding major disaster, including triggers for when it is
available for bushfire risk mitigation and required to assist State and Territory governments.
firefighting. This should be across all agencies (See recommendations 34-36, p. 18.)
and asset types, and include developing a self-
sufficient Australian medium and large aerial 8. The Federal Government should develop a
firefighting capability. (See recommendations National Security Strategy. The National Security
49-56, p. 22.) Strategy should provide a broader framing of
security inclusive of food, water, health and
4. Increase Federal, State and Territory funding economic security; and give appropriate priority
for volunteer recruitment, training and retention to climate and other environmental risks. Defence
programs, recognising that volunteers face should be enabled to contribute effectively to
increasingly challenging scenarios that may domestic disaster response, as appropriate,
require strong leadership and decision-making including through identifying gaps in current
skills. (See recommendations 40, p. 19; 43, p. 19; disaster response capabilities that could be
48, p. 20; 54, p. 22.) filled and supported by Defence, undertaking
exercises for domestic disaster response,
and appointing permanent military liaison
5
Priority Recommendations
officers to state level planning authorities. (See Health and wellbeing in the age of climate change
recommendations 18-23, p. 15-16.)
12. The Federal Government should develop and
9. The Federal Government should maintain implement a national strategy on climate
and expand research into climate change change, health and well-being. This should focus
and bushfires, including our changing fire on prevention and preparedness, recognising
environment, effective landscape management, how climate change and bushfires affect the
building and retrofitting options, and the environmental determinants of health; encourage
performance of existing firefighting strategies and far stronger action to reduce greenhouse gas
assets. This must include funding an appropriate emissions and minimise global heating; ensure
national research body that incorporates end- the resilience of our health systems to climate
user leadership. (See recommendations 2, p. 12; change; support Indigenous leadership and
9, p. 14; 37-38, p. 19; 62-64, p. 23; 75-78, p. 26; address the disproportionate effect of climate
103-104, p. 30; 156-160, p. 52.) change and bushfires on First Nations people.
(See recommendation 66, p. 25.)
Managing the landscape in the age of climate 13. Develop a program for mental wellbeing in
change the face of climate change, including greater
mental health support for firefighters and other
10. The Federal, State and Territory Governments, emergency responders; simplified access to
in partnership with relevant agencies and local appropriate mental health services for fire
governments, should ensure a more integrated affected communities; encouraging community
and long-term approach to landscape members to be actively involved in disaster
management and hazard reduction that includes recovery efforts; ensuring psychosocial recovery
substantial and long-term resourcing of forestry measures are put in place for up to five years
and national parks agencies; year-round following a disaster; supporting individuals and
Indigenous-led cultural and fire management communities in understanding how climate
programs; enables cross-tenure collaboration; change affects them, how they can prepare,
supports community-led initiatives; uses and how to manage fear and anxiety. (See
common metrics; phases out native logging; recommendations 71-74, p. 26; 116, p. 36.)
and protects biodiversity and carbon sinks. (See
recommendations 7, p. 13-14; 122, p. 38.)
A resilient, sustainable and community-led
11. The Federal Government should coordinate the recovery
development of an Indigenous-led National
Cultural Fire Strategy focused on empowering 14. The Federal, State and Territory Governments
and expanding Indigenous-led fire knowledge should increase support to people and
and practice and supporting Indigenous communities to build resilience, prepare,
communities with climate change, bushfire and respond and recover from bushfires. (See
disaster resilience. (See recommendation 5, p. 13.) recommendations 136-143, p. 48-50.)
6
15. Ensure the principle of building back better 19. Take practical steps to increase the affordability
is central to recovery efforts across Federal, and uptake of insurance for properties in disaster
State and Territory and local governments, prone areas, recognising that this is a key factor
including harnessing opportunities for local in community resilience. This should include
economic development and community resilience establishing an independent insurance price
through renewable energy investments. (See monitor, a national public information campaign,
recommendations 127-129, p. 40-41.) and conducting a comprehensive review of the
impact of climate change on the provision of
16. Enable a community-led approach to disaster insurance. (See recommendations 96-102, p. 29;
risk reduction and disaster recovery efforts, 161-165, p. 52-53.)
including through a strategic level plan for
community engagement; encouraging community 20. Establish a national climate disaster fund,
members to be actively involved in the design dedicated to meeting the increasing cost of
and implementation of programs; listening to local climate-fuelled disasters, with money raised
needs and recognising local strengths; identifying through a levy on fossil fuel producers. (See
and empowering community leaders who can recommendation 132, p. 41.)
lead the recovery; and empowering communities
through locally-specific, actionable, and easily 21. Ensure better coordination and resourcing
accessible information. (See recommendations of wildlife recovery efforts, while recognising
120-121, p. 38.) that ecosystems and wildlife are already being
pushed beyond their ability to adapt, and that the
17. Greater recognition of, engagement with, immense scale of losses demands urgent action
and support for the role of Community Sector to reduce emissions. (See recommendation 123,
Organisations, especially local and place- p. 39.)
based, in supporting people and communities
to build resilience, prepare, respond and 22. Review and update Australian standards on
recover from disasters such as bushfires. (See building in bushfire prone areas (AS3959),
recommendations 146-150, p. 50-51.) including home sprinklers and bunkers and
maximum fire danger indices, and invest more in
18. Streamline and integrate disaster recovery community fire refuges. (See recommendation
payment processes so that help gets to people 24, p. 16.)
on the ground quickly. People should be able
to access all levels of government assistance
and other assistance through a single, simplified
application. (See recommendation 113, p. 31.)
7
List of Summit Participants
Prof Nerilie Abram, ANU ARC Bob Conroy, Emergency Leaders Stuart Glover, Salvation Army
Centre for Climate Extremes / for Climate Action (Former Fire Dr Cassandra Goldie, ACOSS
Australian Meteorological and Manager, NSW National Parks and
Jenny Goldie, Climate Action
Oceanographic Society Wildlife Service)
Monaro
Fiona Armstrong, Climate and Oliver Costello, Firesticks Alliance
Darren Grover, WWF Australia
Health Alliance Anne Crestani, Gateway Family
Dr Turlough Guerin, AG Institute
Anna Back, NCOSS Services
Australia
Nick Banks, Red Cross Kristyn Crossfield, Reveille
Dr Michelle Hamrosi, Australian
Pablo Bateson, City of Ryde Helen David, Small Business Parents for Climate Action
Jenni Beetson-Mortim, Northern Financial Counselling
Dr Scott Hanson-Easey, University
Rivers Community Gateway Emma Dawson, Per Capita of Adelaide
Nigel Bell, Australian Institute of Assoc Prof Peter Davies, Greg Hebble, Foodbank
Architects Macquarie University
Robert Henderson, former chief
Nicholas Biddle, ANU Centre for Jo Dodds, Bushfire Survivors for economist at NAB
Social Research and Methods / Climate Action
Tina Hogarth-Clarke, Council of
ANU Policy Experiments Lab Dr Grahame Douglas, National the Ageing Victoria
Cr Elly Bird, Lismore City Council Parks Association of NSW / Western
Peter Holding AFSM, Farmers for
Dr Simon Bradshaw, Climate Sydney University
Climate Action / Climate Kelpie
Council Leighton Drury, Fire Brigade
Chiara Holgate, Australian
Jo Brown, Glenelg Southern Employees Union
Meteorological and Oceanographic
Grampians Primary Care Gavin Dufty, St Vincent de Paul Society
Partnership Major General Peter Dunn AO (ret), Prof Lesley Hughes, Climate
David Bryant, Brotherhood of St Emergency Leaders for Climate Councillor
Lawrence Action (Former Commissioner, ACT
Dr Arnagretta Hunter, ANU
Mike Brown AM AFSM, Emergency Services Authority)
Medical School
Emergency Leaders for Climate Cheryl Durrant, Climate Councillor
Lee Johnson AFSM, Emergency
Action (Former Chief Fire Officer, Cr Amanda Findley, Shoalhaven Leaders for Climate Action (Former
Tasmania Fire Service) City Council Commissioner, Queensland Fire
Jonty-Jack Bruce Dr Angela Frimberger and Emergency Services; Board
Jim Casey, Australian Firefighters Joshua Gani, Salvation Army Member, Bushfire and Natural
Climate Alliance Hazards Cooperative Research
Prof Lisa Gibbs, University of
Denise Cauchi OAM, Doctors for Centre)
Melbourne
the Environment Australia Cr Dominic King, Bellingen Shire
Brian Gilligan, Emergency Leaders
Kellie Caught, ACOSS Council
for Climate Action (Former Director
Dr Kate Charlesworth, Climate General, NSW Parks and Wildlife Emma King, VCOSS
Councillor Service) Jenny Kitchin, Woden Community
Andrew Coghlan, Red Cross Andrew Gissing, Risk Frontiers Services
Wendy Cohen, Farmers for Dr Robert Glasser, ANU

Climate Action
9
Participant List
Craig Lapsley PSM, Emergency Russell Rees AFSM, Emergency Alliance

Leaders for Climate Action Leaders for Climate Action (Former Dr Bob Vickers, Doctors for the
(Former Emergency Management Chief Fire Officer, Country Fire Environment Australia
Commissioner, Victoria) Authority Victoria)
Assoc Prof Michelle Villeneuve,
Amanda Lamont, Australasian Dr Martin Rice, Climate Council Centre for Disability Research and
Women in Emergencies Network Anthony Saunders, Envirosure Policy, University of Sydney
Ben Latham, VCOSS Dr Samantha Lloyd, Queensland Prof Iain Walker, ANU
Bronwyn Lay, Jesuit Social Fire and Biodiversity Consortium, Craig Welden, Queensland Fire
Services Healthy Land and Water and Biodiversity Consortium,
Dr Kim Loo, Doctors for Collin Sivalingum, Red Cross Healthy Land and Water
Environment Australia Nicky Sloan, Community Industry
Tracie Lund, Morwell Group (A number of additional participants
Neighbourhood House were unable to be listed publicly.)
Jim Smith AFSM, Emergency
Madi Maclean, Blue Mountains Leaders for Climate Action (Former
Conservation Society Deputy Commissioner, Fire and
Karl Mallon, Climate Risk Rescue NSW)
Kathryn Maxwell, South Coast Cr Carol Sparks, Glen Innes Severn

Health and Sustainability Alliance Council
Amanda McKenzie, Climate Council Prof Will Steffen, Climate Councillor
Dr Kathryn McLachlan, Macquarie Victor Steffensen, Mulong

University Damian Sullivan, Brotherhood of St
Kathy Mickan, SACOSS Lawrence
Wendy Miller, QCOSS Steve Sutton, Emergency Leaders

for Climate Action (Former Chief
John Mikelsons, ACOSS
Fire Control Officer, Bushfires NT)
Sam Mostyn, Climate Council
Bridget Tehan, VCOSS
Director
David Templeman, Emergency
Greg Mullins AO, AFSM,
Leaders for Climate Action (Former
Emergency Leaders for Climate
Director General, Emergency
Action (Former Commissioner, Fire
Management Australia)
and Rescue NSW)
Adrian Terranova, Gippsland
Kris Newton, Mountains
Disability Advocacy
Community Resource Network
Major Michael Thomas (ret), The
Alix Pearce, Climate Council
Center for Climate and Security
Mark Pearce, Volunteering
Ken Thompson AFSM, Emergency
Australia
Leaders for Climate Action (Former
Sarah Pennell, Foodbank Deputy Commissioner, NSW Fire
Ken Pimlott, former Fire Chief, Brigades)
California Department of Forestry Vivien Thomson AFSM FARLF,
and Fire Protection (CalFire) Australian Firefighters Climate
10
EXPERT ROUNDTABLE ONE, 10 JUNE 2020
A National Response to the Bushfire

Crisis Fuelled by Climate Change
EXPERT ROUNDTABLE ONE
The Black Summer fires brought The summer of crisis exposed deficiencies in national leadership
the terrifying reality of the and coordination, the need for greater resourcing of bushfire
climate crisis into stark relief, and risk mitigation and firefighting efforts, and above all the need for
showed we are unprepared for the stronger action to tackle the climate crisis.
challenges of today and tomorrow.
This first Expert Roundtable in the National Bushfire and Climate
Summit 2020 explored the scale and nature of the challenge we
now face and put forward recommendations for a comprehensive
national response. The roundtable took stock of the latest science
EXPERT ROUNDTABLE TWO
on the changing nature of fires, explored a wide range of training

and resourcing needs, and looked at how to improve approaches
to landscape management and firefighting.
COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE
COMMUNITY SECTOR ROUNDTABLE
Addressing greenhouse gas emissions

from the burning of coal, oil and gas
must be the highest priority.
11
Expert Roundtable One
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 1: Climate change and

the changing nature of fires
We are rapidly moving to a climate outside the range 3. Undertake a comprehensive assessment of
of human experience. This is driving an increase in the the cost of bushfires and fire management,
frequency and severity of extreme events and disasters incorporating economic losses, costs to physical
including out-of-scale bushfires. and mental health, damage to ecosystems,
and the need to expand resources for fire
Addressing greenhouse gas emissions from the services and land management agencies. (The
burning of coal, oil and gas must therefore be the roundtable noted that there is currently no single
highest priority because changes in our climate source for such information, and that a broad
are increasing the bushfire threat and reducing the lens is necessary to understand the full cost of
effectiveness of current hazard reduction strategies. bushfires and the risks that Australia faces.) This
We should: assessment will be an important aid to public
education and advocacy on the escalating
1. Substantially strengthen efforts from all levels danger of bushfires and towards stronger action
of government, the private sector and the on climate change.
community, towards curbing greenhouse
gas emissions. This should include a national 4. Harness the influence of firefighters, health
commitment to net zero emissions; strengthening practitioners and other trusted voices on climate
near-term (2030) emissions reduction targets; change and how it is affecting our communities.
accelerating the decarbonisation of all sectors
of the economy; and an end to new fossil fuel
developments and phase-out of existing projects
over the next two decades.
2. Continue to support basic and applied research

across the natural and social sciences on
bushfires and climate change. (The roundtable
noted the essential work of the Bushfire and
Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre
and the importance of maintaining a targeted
national research capability with end-user input.)
12
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 2: Landscape management in the

age of climate change (fuel management,
cultural and prescribed burning)
The increasing intensity, scale and duration of bushfire d. Educate fire and land management agency
seasons will increasingly overwhelm existing fire and workforces around climate change impacts,
landscape management approaches. While tackling new and emerging risks.
the root cause of climate change is the highest priority,
we must also work to increase and enhance hazard 6. Increase hazard reduction. This requires a better,
reduction through a long-term, year-round and cross- more integrated and strategic understanding of
tenure approach at landscape scale that supports various landscape needs (including vegetation
existing agency efforts, Indigenous leadership, types, geography, weather and fire regimes),
empowers communities, and is backed by a strong and a range of integrated (old and new) risk
research capability. We should: reduction options that recognise the worsening
threat environment created by climate change.
5. The Federal Government should ensure A range of strategies including but not limited to
expansion of and investment in Indigenous the following need to be reviewed and where
fire management and existing fire and land appropriate, implemented and resourced:
management workforces and budgets (forest and
national parks agencies) to: a. Mechanical fuel reduction near assets (“fire
breaks”).
a. Develop an Indigenous-led National Cultural
Fire Strategy focused on empowering b. Regular burning near communities to
Indigenous-led fire knowledge and practice permanently modify fuel loads and types.
to support Indigenous Communities with

climate change, bushfire and natural disaster c. Strategic burns across known fire paths.
resilience. This should occur alongside
immediate and long-term resourcing d. Resourcing of cultural burning where capacity
of Indigenous-led cultural fire and land exists or can be introduced into Indigenous
management programs delivered on private communities.
and public tenure at landscape scales all year
round. e. Reduction in regulatory and administrative
burden to manage fuels on privately owned
b. Include more Aboriginal knowledge- land, particularly for cultural burning.
holders capable of leading and educating
communities and agencies about cultural 7. Develop an approach to planning based on:
burning practices.
a. Cross-tenure collaboration (i.e. spanning both
c. Build a year-round, full-time workforce who public and private landholdings).
are specialists in risk reduction through
landscape management measures, enabling b. Cross-tenure integrated planning frameworks
more consideration of right fire, right time that are more flexible and responsive to
for that country. This could be based around system needs.
existing agencies such as National Parks and
Wildlife.
13
c. Eliminating barriers to evidence-based and managing bushfire risk, and their shared
landscape-scale fire management. At present responsibility to prepare and maintain their
this is hindered by agency, property or local environment.
tenure-based zoning.
d. Focussing on reducing fire risk on private
d. Development of risk reduction metrics land through incentives, reduction of
for common adoption across state-based regulation of burning where appropriate, and,
fire and land management agencies that where necessary, enforcing fuel reduction
incorporate identified and predicted changes requirements.
in risk associated with climate change. (For
example, areas previously at low risk, such as e. Research into existing successful community
rainforests, are now at higher risk). programs to identify opportunities for
expansion.
e. Longer timeframes over which a landscape
is managed. Management objectives should 9. Expand research into the range of techniques
be developed to encompass short, medium, available and potentially available to aid in
and long-term objectives (looking forward for assessing and managing fire risk:
years and decades, not weeks and months).
a. There is a critical need, as climate change
f. Alignment of risk management of public and impacts worsen and accelerate, to have a
private land by empowering communities to focussed research capability that partners
engage and to provide input into plans. with front-line landscape management,
fire and emergency service practitioners.
g. Giving priority to annual pre-season Emergency Leaders for Climate Action and
preparedness programs to identify and, as far Climate Council welcomed the announcement
as possible, eliminate or manage risks, with on 23 July 2020 of new funding for the
particular priority given to fire risks on private Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative
land (usually the greatest source of radiant Research Centre, and its transition to a new
heat and embers closest to structures). research centre for natural hazard resilience
and disaster risk reduction as a worthwhile
h. A national and common approach to starting point.
identifying bushfire prone lands and bushfire
management zones. b. Increased funding for the Bureau of
Meteorology and CSIRO to enable partnering
8. Focus on community engagement and with state and territory government agencies
empowerment, including: and Emergency Management Australia (or
a new national coordination agency) while
a. Research into community understanding, expanding predictive services as a basis for
capacity and willingness to be involved in risk short, medium, and long-term planning.
assessments and fire risk management so that
investment can be well targeted.
b. Provision of data and information to potentially

reset expectations about fire in the future,
including survivability of people and assets.
c. Resourcing an expansion of activities by fire

agencies to directly engage and educate local
communities about their role in understanding
14
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 3: Dealing with more dangerous

fires under climate change
Early detection, warning and intervention 15. Modify rapid response and initial attack
procedures such that deployment of water
Bushfire conditions are already more dangerous than bombing aircraft and ground firefighting crews
in the past due to climate change. While recognising are an immediate and automatic response to
that all possible efforts must be taken to reduce the fires on days of very high, severe, extreme and
risk of worsening fires through reducing greenhouse catastrophic fire danger. This would replace the
gas emissions and through landscape management, traditional method of first dispatching a local
the increasing frequency, number and intensity of fire unit to investigate before calling in other
bushfires demands that we adopt new and innovative resources, and will require additional and different
ways of detecting and rapidly responding to bushfires, types of water bombing aircraft located across
especially on days of severe, extreme and catastrophic the nation.
fire danger. Federal, State and Territory Governments
should adequately resource services so that they can: 16. Establish a night vision water bombing aircraft
capability of both rotary and fixed wing aircraft.
10. Establish an automated network of sensors for
early detection of fires, with particular focus on 17. Undertake a review of existing fire services to
high risk areas, including: densely populated determine if current arrangements and prevailing
areas and peri-urban interface areas; critical tactics are fit for purpose. This must be based
infrastructure including electricity, water, on an understanding of the greater risks being
telecommunication, access bridges and roads. faced now and in the future as a result of climate
change, and factor in resourcing requirements
11. Integrate early detection system as a primary and local considerations.
input to predictive modelling, operational

intelligence, and decision-making systems. This
can be coupled with real-time fire movement National Security and the role of Defence in
tracking, live localised weather information, responding to bushfires
landscape characteristics and other inputs to
provide comprehensive information to assist The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has vital support
firefighters and provide early and ongoing capabilities that need to be utilised during emergencies,
information to the community. such as bushfires, in a more coordinated manner without
usurping the role of state and territory emergency
12. Integrate early detection notifications into management agencies. These capabilities need to suit
community information and warning systems. local needs and have a depth of experience together
with a range of specific, tailored capabilities.

13. Provide adequate resourcing for the Bureau
of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia to 18. Government should develop a National Security
enhance detection and forecasting, including Strategy. The National Security Strategy should
satellite detection of lightning strikes. provide a broader framing of security inclusive
of food, water, health and economic security;
14. Provide additional support and funding for the and give appropriate priority to climate and
enhancement of emergency communications, other environmental risks. The National Security
including but not limited to ABC Local Radio Strategy should identify current capability
and Telstra. gaps and provide a clear basis for prioritising
resources across all portfolio agencies with
15
security responsibilities under the expanded 25. Review and enhance guidelines for retrofitting
framing. In addition to Defence, Home Affairs, and buildings in bushfire areas. (The roundtable noted
other traditional security agencies this should that existing housing stock provides particular
include agencies with science, education, social, challenges and that it is important to offer
economic, health and agriculture responsibilities. incentives.)
19. Consider making Humanitarian Assistance

and Disaster Response (HADR) a greater
focus for Defence Reserve Forces, including
necessary training. Noting the finite capacity of
Defence Reserve Forces and the need to avoid
overstretching.
20. Ensure Defence has the ability to accurately

forecast, capture and recover the fully burdened
cost of HADR operations, and that Defence has
a budget line for domestic HADR training and
exercising.
21. Undertake major exercises for domestic disaster

response, especially in the south and south east
of Australia, to ensure that Defence is better
integrated and prepared to work with all levels of
emergency services.
22. Review the adequacy of Defence Assistance to

the Civil Community (DACC) provisions with the
aim of ensuring that local commanders have the
required flexibility and authority to assign forces
at local and state levels.
23. Appoint permanent military liaison officers to

state level planning authorities.
Upgrading standards and guidelines
It is critical that Australia’s standards and planning

regulations reflect the escalating bushfire threat driven
by climate change.
24. Review and rewrite Australian standards on

building in bushfire prone areas (AS3959),
increasing maximum fire danger indices, and
include home bushfire sprinklers and bunkers
with a view to maximising public safety, ensuring
the standards can be more easily used and
applied, and ensuring the standards are widely
adopted. Other approaches such as community
fire refuges need to be investigated.
16
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 4: National coordination

Common standards, systems and approaches 29. Establish standards for common terminology,
symbology, data collection and publishing
A national, community-centred approach that facilitates protocols for public-facing information.
sharing of information and resources, enables agencies
to work as one, and establishes efficient national 30. Establish an overarching architecture for radio
systems, will be fundamental to our ability to better communications to provide transparency and
cope with current and future conditions. We should: interoperability over state and territory borders.
26. Develop a national Common Operating Picture 31. Review the Australian Government Disaster
(COP): a platform providing intelligence, Response Plan 2017 (COMDISPLAN) with a view
situational awareness, predictive modelling, to enabling the Federal Government to allocate
operational planning, and information on resources to states and territories earlier.
available resources to all emergency managers.
This will enable greater collaboration and 32. Undertake a national stocktake of equipment
coordination across states and territories, and and contracts to establish a baseline of available
joined-up decision making at all levels, from the resources, and with a view to standardising
local to national. resources to aid sharing and compatibility
between firefighting agencies.
27. The national COP should be part of an integrated
national online system of resources that can 33. Remove anomalies in how the Forest Fire Danger
be accessed by all planners and responders, Index (FFDI) is applied across jurisdictions, and
including emergency services, councils, the update the FFDI to factor in climate change. (The
private sector and non-government organisations roundtable noted the development of a new fire
to assist in the sharing or resources. The danger rating system which may address some of
supporting data lake should have clear and these concerns.)
simple user interfaces, and utilise machine
learning and artificial intelligence. Permissions
may be set to provide the appropriate level of
access to different groups.
28. Develop a consistent national approach

to sharing information with and collecting
information from the community – in as close
to real time as possible – on where fires have

started and their likely behaviour and trajectory.
This should include a standard national app,
website, and social media channels. Information
should be tailored and support community
members to make informed decisions.
17
National leadership and enhancing cooperation

between Federal, State and Territory
Governments
There is a need for new legislation that provides a clear

role, accountability and responsibility for the Federal
Government to provide leadership and to partner with
states and territories during the prevention, preparation,
response, and recovery phases of a national disaster or
emergency. The legislation should:
34. Include clear triggers for when the Federal

Government is required to assist in disaster
preparedness and response, such as when a
disaster has the potential or is impacting more
than one state or territory.
35. Support the establishment of a national disaster

management agency, or enhancement of
Emergency Management Australia, tasked with
developing national disaster and emergency
management policy and standards, helping to
manage strategic national firefighting assets,
helping to coordinate the sharing of resources
between states and territories and internationally,
and with the authority to coordinate and allocate
appropriate Federal resources as required.
36. Support the establishment of a national disaster

resilience agency, tasked with advancing
national disaster resilience, monitoring national
hazard reduction metrics, climate change
adaptation, and other mitigation, prevention and
preparedness measures, and assisting with major
recovery efforts.
18
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 5: Research, training, capacity

building and community inclusion
The worsening fire conditions driven by climate change 42. Support private landholders in preparing for new
place new demands on training and capacity building, and more challenging conditions, noting the
requires new investment in research, and calls for need to balance a range of priorities including
innovative and inclusive partnerships from the local to fire management, biodiversity protection, cultural
the national level. We should: values and agriculture. This includes building the
skills and confidence to implement active fire
37. Establish a national fire and emergency academy management, including planned burning.
to ensure new knowledge and practices are
uniformly taught, and to enhance the ability of fire 43. Provide opportunities for staff and volunteers of
and emergency services to share knowledge and fire services and land management agencies,
work together as effectively as possible. as well as private landholders, to develop
their understanding of landscape-level fire
38. Establish a national fire data service to ensure management, cultural burning, fire ecology and
standardised collection, management, curation climate change through courses, forums and
and sharing of nationally relevant data. A review training materials.
could determine essential data sets, identify
users, and consider best practice systems and 44. Increase the capacity of Defence and other actors
processes. (The roundtable noted the Bureau to provide remote area internet capability when
of Meteorology and Atlas of Living Australia as communications are disrupted by disasters. This
good examples.) should be led by the Australian Communications
and Media Authority and the Department of
39. Work towards common language, understanding Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development
of roles and responsibilities, and alignment and Communications.

of cultures across the various agencies and
organisations engaged in disaster response, 45. Ensure community inclusion is a key principle
including basing training on a common guiding all measures to adapt to climate change
emergency management doctrine. and worsening bushfire conditions. Community
members should be encouraged to be active
40. Recognise the increasing demands on volunteers, participants in shaping and implementing bushfire
who are being deployed to fight fires for longer management strategies, noting that this increases
and in very different environments than that to community resilience and supports mental health.
which they are accustomed. Such initiatives must be adequately resourced.
(The roundtable noted the valuable role of local
41. Recognise that significant effort and resources governments in forming inclusive partnerships
that could otherwise be put towards training with communities.)
are taken up in ensuring registered training
organisation (RTO) compliance. This can be 46. Through states and territories, pilot and fund
reduced by having a national standard for community support officers in bushfire affected
training developed by the Federal Government, communities.
with training then delivered by state and territory
agencies.
19
47. Encourage the formation and resourcing of

more community fire units in the urban-bushland
interface, and development of a suitable
empowerment and equipment program for rural
communities.
48. Consider new options to support volunteers, who

face longer and more challenging deployments
due to the impacts of climate change.
ENDORSED BY
Prof Nerilie Abram, ANU ARC Centre for Climate Craig Lapsley PSM, Emergency Leaders for
Extremes / Australian Meteorological and Climate Action (Former Emergency Management
Oceanographic Society Commissioner, Victoria)
Nigel Bell, Australian Institute of Architects Amanda Lamont, Australasian Women in
Dr Simon Bradshaw, Climate Council Emergencies Network
Mike Brown AM AFSM, Emergency Leaders for Greg Mullins AO, AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Climate Action (Former Chief Fire Officer, Tasmania Climate Action (Former Commissioner, Fire and
Fire Service) Rescue NSW)
Jim Casey, Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance Dr Samantha Lloyd, Queensland Fire and
Biodiversity Consortium, Healthy Land and Water
Dr Kate Charlesworth, Climate Councillor
Bob Conroy, Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
(Former Fire Manager, NSW National Parks and Russell Rees AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Wildlife Service) Climate Action (Former Chief Fire Officer, Country
Fire Authority Victoria)
Oliver Costello, Firesticks Alliance
Dr Martin Rice, Climate Council
Jo Dodds, Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action
Victor Steffensen, Mulong
Major General Peter Dunn AO (ret), Emergency
Leaders for Climate Action (Former Commissioner, Steve Sutton, Emergency Leaders for Climate
ACT Emergency Services Authority) Action (Former Chief Fire Control Officer, Bushfires
NT)
Cheryl Durrant, Climate Councillor
David Templeman, Emergency Leaders for Climate
Brian Gilligan, Emergency Leaders for Climate
Action (Former Director General, Emergency
Action (Former Director General, NSW Parks and
Wildlife Service)
Major Michael Thomas (ret), The Center for Climate
Dr Robert Glasser, ANU
and Security
Darren Grover, WWF Australia
Ken Thompson AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Lee Johnson AFSM, Emergency Leaders for Climate Action (Former Deputy Commissioner, NSW
Climate Action (Former Commissioner, Queensland Fire Brigades)
Fire and Emergency Services; Board Member,
Vivien Thomson AFSM FARLF, Australian
Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative
Firefighters Climate Alliance
Research Centre)
Craig Welden, Queensland Fire and Biodiversity
Consortium, Healthy Land and Water
20
EXPERT ROUNDTABLE TWO, 3 JUNE 2020
The Cost of Bushfires

Fuelled by Climate Change
The cost of bushfires fuelled by While the climate crisis affects us all, its impacts are being borne
climate change is increasingly disproportionately by First Nations people, regional and rural
being measured in the loss of life communities, people on low incomes, young people, and many
and homes, decimation of critical other groups.
ecosystems, and in the physical
and mental wellbeing of all The second Expert Roundtable in the National Bushfire and Climate
Australians. Summit 2020 took stock of the cost of the Black Summer fires and
projections of future fire danger, and proposed a range of practical
solutions including greater investment in bushfire risk mitigation,
expanding firefighting capabilities, strategies for promoting health

and wellbeing in the face of climate change, building community
resilience, and ensuring affordable insurance. The solutions focus
on leaving no one behind and paying particular attention to the
most vulnerable members of our community.
The stress and trauma of recent

unprecedented bushfires has in many places
come on top of prolonged drought and other
challenges, piling one disaster upon another.
21
Expert Roundtable Two
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 1: Federal, state and territory funding for firefighting

resources (including forestry, national parks and fire
services and disaster funding mechanisms)
Today’s reality of escalating bushfire risk fuelled as well as specialised response capabilities
by climate change demands substantial additional including rapid detection, appropriate fast attack
investments in both bushfire risk mitigation and fire aircraft, and remote area fire crews available for
control capabilities. Resourcing should be based on immediate dispatch.
a holistic view of managing fire that encompasses
landscape management as well as firefighting, and 53. Ensure that increases to reserved areas by
breaks down silos between agencies. A joined-up governments are accompanied by proportionate
approach from the national to the community level, and a increases in resources for effective landscape
rebalancing in the priority given to risk mitigation versus management including fire mitigation.
response, including greater emphasis on effective
management of both public and private land, is essential. 54. Increase funding for volunteer recruitment,
training (including volunteer leadership), and
Fundamentally, reducing the cost of bushfires, and retention programs.
providing any hope of being able to adapt to our
changing climate, depends above all on stronger action
to tackle the root cause of climate change by rapidly Expanding aerial firefighting capability
and deeply reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
55. The Federal Government should:
Investing in bushfire risk mitigation and resilience a. Increase the funding available for more
aircraft to enable rapid detection and rapid
49. Ensure that more people are resourced at the attack strategies. This should include rotary
local level for both bushfire risk mitigation and and fixed wing aircraft of small, medium
bushfire response, including more firefighters. and large size, including amphibious water-
This should be across all agencies and reduce scooping aircraft.
the impost on volunteers.
b. Develop a self-sufficient aerial firefighting
50. Increase Federal, State and Territory funding for capability in Australia. This is important given
firefighting across all asset types and all areas the increasing overlap of fire seasons between
(forests, grasslands and built environment). the northern and southern hemispheres,
restricting access to medium, large, and
51. Recognise that the increasing size, intensity very large water bombing aircraft. This will
and frequency of major bushfires has serious help to develop innovative businesses and
ecological impacts on flora and fauna and the opportunities as additional benefits.
ability of forests to draw down carbon dioxide.
Governments need to urgently review and phase 56. Funding for the training of local pilots to fly
out the logging and clearing of native forests, firefighting aircraft should be increased, to
in order to preserve increasingly threatened reduce reliance on assets and personnel
habitats, natural values, and vital carbon sinks. from the northern hemisphere which may be
increasingly unavailable.
52. Increase resources available to fire services
and land management agencies to conduct
bushfire risk mitigation and community education,
22
Investing in Community Engagement Strategies Investing in research to better understand future

risks and strategies for dealing with them
57. Recognise, as a guiding factor, that money spent
on proactive mitigation programs prior to an 62. Ensure continuing national investment in research
event usually has a far greater positive impact on our rapidly changing climate and fire threat
than money spent on response after a major environment.
fire occurs, and can reduce impacts, pain and
suffering in the community. 63. Undertake an evaluation of the effectiveness of
existing aerial firefighting strategies and assets
58. Pursue new practical strategies for greater used in Australia, compared to approaches used
community engagement on bushfire risk in Europe, the USA and Canada.
mitigation and bushfire response, such as the
Hotspots program in NSW, community fire 64. Ensure continued investment in the Centre of
units, and the Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Excellence for Prescribed Burning.
Consortium. Increased bushfire risk driven by
climate change requires a whole of government,
whole of community response, and emergency

services are insufficiently resourced to deliver
prevention, preparation and response services.
59. Increase funding to fire services and land

management agencies for community engagement,
as well as to non-government organisations,
for example Indigenous corporations, that
demonstrate effective engagement with
communities on landscape management and
other bushfire risk mitigation strategies.
60. Expand provision of information and training to

communities on the requirements, costs and

benefits of undertaking bushfire risk mitigation
work.
61. Empower communities to better manage risks

on private property through workshops in which
community members work together to create
collective management plans for their properties,
enabling a group approach to on-ground actions
such as prescribed burning, which can otherwise
be daunting, and the fostering of positive
relationships between private landowners and

government agencies, rather than continuing to
develop plans in isolation, or to have no plans.
23
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 2: The health costs of

bushfires and climate change
The climate crisis is also a public health crisis. A shift in 66. The national strategy on climate change and
the dominant mindset and approach towards climate health and well-being must be a central plank
change and health is urgently needed: from dealing of an overarching national climate change
mainly with the health impacts of climate disasters response. This should be based on a thorough
when they happen, to focussing on prevention, understanding of the social and environmental
preparedness, and maximising the many opportunities determinants of health and the long-term health
for better health, wellbeing and community resilience costs of climate change. It should aim to boost
through smart action on climate change. community resilience to climate-related disasters,
and to improve disaster response.
The rural and remote communities most impacted

by bushfires and climate change are often already 67. To ensure our health systems are climate resilient,
disadvantaged from a health perspective, with we must incorporate climate-related health risks
less access to healthcare and higher prevalence of into national health performance standards,
underlying health conditions. The stress and trauma including an addition to the National Safety and
of recent unprecedented bushfires has in many Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards,
places come on top of prolonged drought and other designed to minimise the health impacts of
challenges, piling one disaster upon another. To climate change and ensure the continued
address these compounding disasters, we require: delivery of safe quality care. This should include
mandatory risk assessments and planning
for surges in service demand, destruction of
A national, proactive approach to tackling the infrastructure and equipment, interruptions to
climate and health crisis workforce availability and supply chains.
65. Develop and implement a national climate 68. Ensure better national coordination of health
change, health and well-being strategy that services and their integration with emergency
is based on science, spans the whole of services, informed by climate and meteorological
government, and is developed collaboratively data and information. This should include
with input from all jurisdictions (national, state and measures to ensure improved health response
local), relevant ministries, and the community. coordination between states and territories and
The strategy must aim to minimise future harms overcoming metropolitan/regional divides. The
through swift and coordinated action addressing involvement of primary healthcare professionals
the root causes of the climate crisis, while (both GPs and nurses) in disaster response
preparing for the impacts that can no longer be and recovery planning through representation
avoided. The impact of this strategy must be on state and territory disaster management
regularly monitored, and the strategy further committees and the Australian Health Protection
enhanced as needed. (The roundtable noted that Principal Committee (AHPPC) is vital.
important lessons could be taken from Australia’s
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw 69. Recognise the vulnerability of infants
decisions based on science and a willingness to during emergencies, including exposure to
work together across jurisdictions.) environmental hazards and risks of feeding being
compromised, and ensure special consideration
for infants and support for their parent(s)/
caregivers during emergency planning.
25
70. Recognise and build upon the work of Climate 73. Provide training to recovery service providers in
and Health Alliance, Doctors for the Environment, recognising and addressing key risk factors for
Beyond Blue and other organisations in poor mental health outcomes including living in
addressing the impacts of climate change on a heavily impacted community, fear of dying at
physical and mental health. the time of the disaster, loss of someone close
(including friends and community members),
separation from family members at the time of
Promoting mental health and wellbeing the disaster, intense anger, living alone, and
experience of major life stressors after the disaster.
71. Invest in measures to enhance social resilience
and positive mental health in all communities to 74. Ensure psychosocial recovery measures are put
help cope with the long emergency of climate in place for up to five years post-disaster.
change. Denial of climate science, and inaction
by decision-makers, is leading to increases
in climate related anxiety and depression, so Research, monitoring and learning
bolstering community resilience to maintain
and build positive mental health across the 75. Recognise the disproportionate impact of climate
whole community will limit negative impacts change and bushfires on First Nations people.
on productivity and avoid escalation into more
complex negative health and social outcomes. 76. Acknowledge and draw on the knowledge,
strengths and resilience of First Nations people,
72. Ensure simplified and effective access to and ensure this is a key input to all strategies for
appropriate mental health support to all those addressing climate change and health.
affected by bushfires and other climate-related
disasters, including through: 77. Expand investment in research into the impacts
of bushfires and climate change on physical and
a. Ensuring mental health screening and referral mental health and solutions to these challenges,
to individual, social and community level including but not limited to:
support services is available within affected
communities for managing trauma, anger and a. The full range of health impacts and their
the impact of major life stresses including loss interaction with underlying conditions.
of income, change in accommodation and
change in relationships. b. The economic costs, recognising that
long-term stress and social impacts on
b. Ensuring support is extended to those not communities can far exceed immediate costs.
living in affected communities, such as people
who were directly impacted by a disaster but c. The impacts, both physical and mental, upon
had to relocate away from the community due firefighters.
to loss of a home.
78. Expand investment in vulnerability mapping
c. Helping individuals and communities to programs to identify vulnerable populations and
navigate existing services, and to participate infrastructure to inform climate change adaptation
in the development of new services as needs strategies, disaster risk reduction, and emergency
change. response plans.
d. Offering greater mental health support to

firefighters and other emergency responders,
recognising that current arrangements are
being overwhelmed.
26
79. Nominate an existing agency to oversee Public information and advocacy

implementation and monitoring of the National
Climate, Health and Wellbeing Strategy and task 85. Ensure clear and consistent public health
it to: provide comprehensive measurement and guidelines for days of heavy bushfire and
reporting on the environmental determinants of prescribed burning smoke, including for outdoor
health (clean air, clean water, nutritious food, safe workers, communities, and older and leakier
climate), alongside vulnerability mapping, in order homes.
to anticipate and prepare for new risks. This will
require adequate funding and resourcing, and 86. Equip healthcare staff to provide patients and the
ongoing formal partnerships between the Bureau community with appropriate advice on climate-
of Meteorology, Department of Health, and other related health risks.
relevant agencies.
87. Make health and wellbeing a key lens through
80. Expand investment in early warning systems which we understand and communicate climate
to identify potential climate related threats to change and the imperative for stronger action.
health, including extreme weather events such This can help decision makers and the public
as heatwaves, to enable rapid response to to a deeper understanding of today’s policy

minimise the impact on communities. This must choices, and to imagine the vibrant and healthy
be accompanied by enhanced systems of public futures we can build through action on climate
health advice (see recommendations 85-86 change. Public education campaigns on health
below.) and the climate crisis can help build a compelling
narrative for action, an acceptance of the scale
and pace of required emissions reductions, and
Creative approaches to community resilience a foundation of support for necessary policy and
practice changes.
81. Encourage participatory and inclusive approaches
to community resilience. Community-led
approaches to disaster preparedness and disaster
recovery, in which community members are
actively involved in designing and implementing

initiatives, can have strong benefits for individuals’
mental health and community resilience.
82. Encourage investment in community groups,

recognising that strong relationships within the
community, and maintaining social connections
following a disaster, are key factors in resilience
at the individual and community level.
83. Prioritise restoration of community parks and

recreation facilities as an important post-disaster

support to mental health and wellbeing.
84. Recognise the disproportionate impact of climate

change upon particular parts of the country,
including the risk of some areas of Australia
becoming uninhabitable if we do not deeply and
rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and
the profound effect this will have on all members
of the community, but particularly vulnerable
groups, in those areas.
27
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 3: The insurance costs of

bushfires and climate change
The global insurance sector has been reacting to 89. Establishment of a permanent independent
climate risk for decades. The insurance community insurance price monitor within the Australian
across Australia has a responsibility to take Competition and Consumer Commission, or as
precautionary action to protect communities from a standalone entity based on NSW Emergency
climate-fuelled disasters, including worsening bushfires. Services Levy Insurance Monitor.
Insurance is a key factor in community resilience.
90. To identify and respond to areas of under- and
non-insurance, there is also the need for a
Enhancing data and information program to analyse and publish rates of fire
coverage opt-outs, premium increases, lapsed
88. The Federal Government should: policies and non-payment of premiums, cash
settlement. This program could be managed
a. Commission national studies that map by the independent insurance price monitor,
extreme weather risks including severe in recommendation 89. (The roundtable noted
storms, flood and fire, including through that much of this information was collected by
compiling existing data. The resulting maps the Insurance Council of Australia following the
should be publicly available, and sufficiently 2019-2020 bushfires but that privacy issues have
granular to allow for analysis by address. prevented the sharing of granular information.)
b. Develop and maintain a national property

register that details the building standards that Coordination and Collaboration
properties are built to. The register should be
updated to reflect any upgrades and changes. 91. The mandate of the proposed national
disaster resilience agency, which would drive
c. In partnership with other agencies and and monitor the effectiveness all aspects
organisations as appropriate, implement a of disaster preparedness and recovery (see
national public information campaign designed recommendation 36 from Expert Roundtable 1),
to help community members understand should include:
their insurance policies and risks. (The
roundtable noted that this would be very a. the impact of any mitigation work on the price
challenging without the disclosure reforms in and availability of insurance,
recommendation 94, below. Further, that there
are limitations to the effectiveness of such b. the design, application and funding of any
a campaign, in particular its ability to reach subsidies,
some of the most vulnerable communities. The
roundtable also encourages the Government c. the resulting take-up of suitable and
to consult with the Insurance Council of affordable insurance cover.
Australia’s Climate Change Action Committee.)
28
Regulation 98. Explore barriers to total replacement building

insurance policies, and address these to make
92. A transition system, developed by the this type of insurance more attractive and widely
government and insurance companies, for people available. This will help to address issues that
in high risk properties and/or in high risk locations arise after properties are damaged in a bushfire.
so that these individuals have adequate cover
during transition to a safer property. This may 99. Develop a standard for sum insured calculators.
include subsidies and buy-outs, and must be This must incorporate modelling of climate
carefully designed so that it does not encourage risk, and include costs such as debris removal,
further development in high-risk areas. demolition, and other services. This will help
reduce underinsurance, ensure calculators have a
93. Ensure risks are disclosed to renters and transparent basis for their calculations, and ensure
businesses looking to rent in high risk locations. that inputs are available to consumers in the
event of dispute. (The roundtable noted that such
94. Progress the Federal Treasury’s review of transparency is particularly important to assist
Disclosure in General Insurance, including individuals living in areas of high climate risk.)
modernising the ‘standard cover’ regime and

standardising key terms in policies to make 100. Support systems of value capture (the recovery
home building insurance comparable, predictable of some or all the value that public infrastructure
and suitable. generates for private landowners) so that
councils or other actors that reduce insurance
95. Standard policy terms must be adequate for all cover through municipal action can recover the
rebuilds to new standards (i.e. must provide for investment.
full reinstatement or an option to relocate), must
ensure policy is fit for purpose over the life of the 101. Mortgage lenders must require, as part of the
building, and must consider risks from climate serviceability test, an insurance cost projection
change. for the life of the mortgage, with climate change
risk included (notwithstanding inevitable
uncertainties over a 30-year period). Mortgage
Pricing, Affordability and Underinsurance lenders can also offer incentives to ensure the
properties remain insured, such as a discount
96. Establish an independent expert panel to review off your next mortgage payment if you provide a
insurance affordability in Australia, having regard certificate of currency, and regularly check in with
to the rising levels of financial difficulty and the their clients about their insurance coverage.
worsening impacts of climate change. This must
build on existing knowledge and the outcomes 102. Ensure that insurance pricing is a fair and
of past reviews, but with a broader focus on the transparent reflection of the resilience of the
impact of climate change risks across Australia. property, so that people who build/invest in
resilience measures are rewarded with lower
97. The independent expert panel should work insurance premiums.
with the insurance industry as well as Federal,

State and Territory Governments and consumer
groups to complete a comprehensive review of
the impact of climate change on the provision of
insurance and to map possible solutions to the
challenge presented by insuring properties in
high risk areas.
29
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 4: Costs for bushfire affected communities

and the organisations that support them
A very large number of Australians are directly exposed plan for reducing disaster risks and responding
to escalating bushfire risks. Outdated planning regimes to disasters when they occur. Building trusting
have allowed building in areas of very high risk, and relationships prior to a disaster is critical, as help
retrofitting for greater safety or retreating to areas of will be required from trusted sources for a long
lower risks can be challenging and costly. period. These community resilience hubs should
receive an ongoing level of base funding, with
The costs of bushfires are borne disproportionately additional funding available when needed to
by regional and rural communities and will deepen respond to a situation. The hubs will provide:
inequalities and entrench poverty. Volunteers face
exhaustion and employment risks through longer a. A permanent and trusted facilitator who can
deployments and more challenging conditions. link everyone together.
First and foremost, with climate change leading to ever b. Information on escalating bushfire and other
greater fire dangers, reducing the cost upon vulnerable natural disaster risks, climate change, and
communities means stronger national action to curb resilience strategies.
greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, a raft
of adaptation and resilience-building measures from c. A connection to relevant community and
community resilience hubs to supporting people with governments services, and between
retrofitting their homes are essential to addressing community and government services.
mounting risks and vulnerabilities.
d. Long-term support for communities before,
during and after a disaster.
Understanding what works
106. Support people to improve the safety of their
103. Fund research into the relative benefits and cost homes and reduce their insurance premiums
effectiveness of different building and retrofitting through affordable retrofitting and other
options and other strategies for preparing measures.
properties, particularly AS3959.
a. Establish incentives for making houses safe
104. Establish an appropriate national body to house and more resilient, including subsidies and
this research and translate it into accessible rebates.
guidance.
b. Build greater awareness nationwide of
retrofitting options.
Building the resilience of our homes and
communities 107. Provide stronger guidance, and if necessary,
regulation, on areas where people should not
105. The Federal, State and Territory Governments build due to risk.
should establish and fund community resilience
hubs for every local government area in 108. Recognise and support the Regional Horizons
vulnerable parts of the country. Having been vision, developed by Farmers for Climate Action,
established in advance of disasters, such hubs for a resilient and prosperous future for regional
will have already developed a community-led and rural Australia.
30
Supporting volunteers Simplifying access to support
109. Ensure better accounting of the time provided 112. Expand the capacity and opening hours of
by volunteers, as a first concrete measure mobile recovery centres and outreach clinics.
towards greater recognition of and respect for
volunteer efforts. 113. Streamline and integrate government payment
processes so that help gets to people on
110. Expand training, in particular those at the top of the ground quickly. People should be able to
the organisation, including volunteer incident access all levels of government assistance and
controllers and officers, who require strong other assistance through a single application.
leadership and decision-making skills to cope Administrators should exercise leniency and
with increasingly challenging scenarios. flexibility, minimise bureaucratic hurdles, and
be aware that people may be unable to provide
111. Further explore the question of remuneration requested documentation if their property has
for volunteers who are deployed for extended been destroyed or they have been evacuated.
periods and suffer hardship and / or loss of
income.
31
ENDORSED BY
Fiona Armstrong, Climate and Health Alliance

Nigel Bell, Australian Institute of Architects
Nicholas Biddle, ANU Centre for Social Research
and Methods / ANU Policy Experiments Lab
Dr Simon Bradshaw, Climate Council
Mike Brown AM AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Climate Action (Former Chief Fire Officer, Tasmania
Fire Service)
Denise Cauchi OAM, Doctors for the Environment
Australia
Wendy Cohen, Farmers for Climate Action
Helen David, Small Business Financial Counselling
Emma Dawson, Per Capita
Leaders for Climate Action (Former Commissioner,
ACT Emergency Services Authority)
Linda Fienberg
Robert Henderson, former chief economist at NAB
Peter Holding AFSM, Farmers for Climate Action /
Climate Kelpie
Dr Arnagretta Hunter, ANU Medical School
Lee Johnson AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Climate Action (Former Commissioner, Queensland
Fire and Emergency Services; Board Member,
Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research
Centre)
Karl Mallon, Climate Risk
Amanda McKenzie, Climate Council
Sam Mostyn, Climate Council Director
Greg Mullins AO, AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Climate Action (Former Commissioner, Fire and
Rescue NSW)
Anthony Saunders, Envirosure
Jim Smith AFSM, Emergency Leaders for Climate
Action (Former Deputy Commissioner, Fire and
Rescue NSW)
Ken Thompson AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Climate Action (Former Deputy Commissioner, NSW
Fire Brigades)
David Templeman, Emergency Leaders for Climate
Action (Former Director General, Emergency
32
CASE STUDY
Mount Barney Lodge
For two generations, the Larkin Despite its tourism drawcards, climate change has posed a continuous
family has owned and operated threat to the future of the lodge and the Larkins’ livelihood.
Mt Barney Lodge, an ecotourism
retreat situated at the base of Climate impacts in the region range from bushfires to flooding, with
Mount Barney within the Scenic tourism businesses including the Larkins having to close on several
Rim on the Gold Coast, where occasions in the past five years due to extreme weather events.
nearby attractions include
mountain ranges, beautiful In September 2019, unprecedented fire conditions swept through
rainforests, hidden waterfalls the Scenic Rim, sparking a fire in the mountain ranges. Lodge co-
and hiking trails. owner Innes Larkin had never seen such intense fires before, nor
experienced the level of concern shown by QPWS, RFS and Police.
As the fire raged on, thousands of hectares of World Heritage Listed

forest was destroyed and large numbers of Queensland native wildlife,
including koalas, were killed. The Larkins evacuated their guests, and
Innes stayed behind to defend their property.
The resulting loss of tourism income to the area was huge, only to
be compounded by post-bushfire flooding, as well as the COVID-19
pandemic.
The family had released “Barney Bonds” so that people could come
back after the fires; but the COVID-19 lockdown, just days before they
were due to reopen, hampered that and caused severe stress about
the future of the business.
JobKeeper has been a “lifesaver” for the Larkins, and the Lodge has
welcomed record visitor numbers since the lockdown lifted in early
June. Innes Larkin chalks this down to more people seeking out the
healing influence of nature after a long period of isolation.
The compounding disasters of the bushfires and COVID-19 have

spurred the Larkin family to call for stronger climate action—they
are lobbying their local council to declare a climate emergency, and
starting conversations with guests about the importance of nature
conservation.
The Larkin family has been resilient through multiple shocks, but are
conscious that Queensland’s bushfire season is fast approaching
again.
The family is anxiously watching for rain to keep the World Heritage
forests’ moisture levels up. A reminder that even when COVID-19
passes, the need to urgently tackle climate change remains.
33
Case Study
34
COMMUNITY ROUNDTABLE, 7 JULY 2020
Bushfires and Climate

Change in NSW
An effective and equitable This roundtable, the first of two planned Community Roundtables in
response to the climate change the National Bushfire and Climate Summit 2020, brought together
and bushfire crisis must be community leaders, bushfire survivors, scientists and many others
grounded in the experiences, to talk through the challenges that communities are still facing as
leadership, needs and strengths they rebuild following the Black Summer fires, the lessons they have
of communities. learned, and practical solutions for building community resilience.
(A similar roundtable planned for Victoria was postponed due to the
COVID-19 crisis.)
The roundtable heard confronting stories of trauma and loss from

the Black Summer fires, as well as inspiring examples of community-
led recoveries. Participants made many recommendations for how
governments and other agencies can better support communities
before, during and after a disaster, as well as on the role of
communities in driving stronger action on climate change from the
local to the national level.
These realities demand that we reorient

ourselves towards prevention and
preparedness, and recognise the needs
and strengths of our most vulnerable.
35
Community Roundtable
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 1: Physical and mental

health impacts of bushfires
The climate crisis is the number one long-term threat guide both communities and agencies in disaster
to public health for communities in Australia and preparedness and response. This must be able
worldwide. While no one is immune to the health to factor in compounding/cascading events, and
impacts of bushfires and climate change, the impacts must be accompanied by public education on the
are borne disproportionately by a number of especially increasing health risks associated with climate
vulnerable groups, who may also have less ability to change.
access healthcare.
116. Develop a program to promote mental wellbeing
In addition to a large number of growing threats to in the face of climate change. This program should:
physical health, bushfires and climate change also pose
significant and growing challenges to mental health a. Support individuals and communities in
and wellbeing. The Black Summer fires brought not just understanding how climate change affects
days but weeks and months of constant stress and fear them, how they can prepare, and how to
onto many communities, and came on top of a crippling manage fear and anxiety.
drought – epitomising the increasing severity, duration
and compounding nature of climate-related hazards. b. Provide tools and a safe space for emergency
responders and community members to talk
These realities demand that we reorient ourselves about mental health.
towards prevention and preparedness, recognise the
needs of our most vulnerable, increase the availability c. Support community resilience hubs, where
of information on air quality and other environmental individuals can access appropriate support.
determinants of health, and support innovative, (See recommendation 105 from Expert
community-led approaches to promoting wellbeing and Roundtable 2).
building resilience to the escalating health hazards from
bushfires and climate change. d. Offer education on what to do during an
emergency, recognising the common
114. All levels of Government should assist tendency to believe that the dangers will
communities in improving health and wellbeing not affect you, or the reluctance to move if
by shifting their focus towards prevention and responsible for animals.
preparedness, rather than merely reacting to
harms when they occur. This must be based on e. Offer mental health support to firefighters,
recognition of how human health is dependent on including volunteers, recognising the
a healthy environment, and a clear understanding increasing mental and emotional toil of
of community needs. It should integrate bushfires fuelled by climate change.
bottom-up (local community-led) and top-
down approaches to enhancing individual and
community resilience and wellbeing.
115. Ensure readily available, real-time and nationally

consistent information and alerts on air quality,
fires and other hazards. This should be integrated
with other information services, including those
of the Bureau of Meteorology, in order to provide
dynamic and comprehensive information to
36
117. Support long-term, adequately resourced,

inclusive and community-driven programs for
wellbeing that:
a. Focus on promoting mental health before,

during and after an event.
b. Ensure adequate facilities and services.
c. Support relationship building through social

activities.
d. Engage community members in landscape

management, disaster recovery, and other
community projects, noting the demonstrable
benefits of involvement in such shared
activities for the mental and physical health of

individuals and communities.
118. Provide sustained and adequately resourced

mental health services to small, remote
communities. This must be based on an
understanding of the new threats and
circumstances being experienced due to climate
change, including the impact that loss of large
areas of bushland and wildlife is having on mental
health. It must recognise that many communities,
and the vulnerable groups within them, are
already facing a mental health crisis.
119. Fund more bushfire and heatwave refuges in

areas facing high risk of bushfires, including
suitable places for the elderly.
37
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 2: Supporting communities to manage land and

worsening fires, and to protect ecosystems and wildlife
The growing intensity and scale of bushfires and other 121. Empower communities through locally-specific,
climate-fuelled disasters are already overwhelming actionable, and easily accessible information
existing land management and wildlife recovery efforts. about climate change, bushfire risks, and
The first priority is therefore to ensure all possible strategies for risk reduction and resilience. This
efforts to tackle the root causes of the climate crisis in begins with listening to local needs, recognising
order to minimise future harms. local strengths and capacities, and providing an
accessible pathway for engagement. It requires a
This must be accompanied by efforts to more paradigm shift from top-down approaches towards
effectively manage land and protect ecosystems and locally-specific, community-led approaches. It may
wildlife, in particular through greater government involve trialling a range of models of engagement
support to community initiatives, and through fostering within communities, understanding what works,
the understanding that our own safety and wellbeing is and then scaling up accordingly.
dependent on the health of our ecosystems.
122. The Federal, State and Territory Governments,
120. Develop a strategic level plan for community in partnership with relevant agenda and local
engagement in land management, risk reduction governments should ensure a new holistic vision
and resilience building. This will ensure an for landscape management, based on a better
overall vision at the Federal, State and Territory understanding of our connection to nature and
Government level, identification of gaps, and dependence upon healthy ecosystems, and which:
the integration of a range of new and existing
initiatives into a coherent and comprehensive a. Addresses logging of native forest.
plan that meets the needs of communities and
maximises their capabilities. This strategic level b. Listens to Traditional Owners and supports
plan should: Indigenous-led land management. (This
should include, but not be limited to,
a. Be adequately funded and resourced. increasing the number of Indigenous land and
water rangers, recognising the opportunities
b. Be driven by and enacted by communities. for good jobs on Country.)
c. Include metrics for its implementation at the c. Protects unburned areas and recognises
district level. their role in the recovery of ecosystems and
wildlife.
d. Support communities in developing land
management and risk reduction plans. This d. Protects ecosystems and wildlife in the face of
may include supporting communities with future fire dangers.
overcoming divisions and building consensus
around desired approaches. e. Embraces the opportunities of regenerative
agriculture.
e. Support new and existing programs, as
appropriate, including community fire units. f. Pays particular attention to risk management
at the rural-urban interface.
38
123. Ensure better coordination and resourcing of

wildlife recovery efforts, noting the additional
benefits for individual and community wellbeing
that can come through being involved in this

work. The coordination function could be taken
on by an existing organisation with the necessary
authority and legitimacy. However, while such
efforts are essential, we must also recognise that
ecosystems and wildlife are already being pushed
beyond their ability to adapt, and recognise
the sheer number of animals killed by the Black
Summer fires. No amount of remedial work can
come close to dealing with the scale of recent
losses, and therefore we must focus above all on
strengthening national and international efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prevent
ever more dangerous levels of climate change.
124. Develop a greater understanding of the

scale and nature of the workforce required to
implement effective land management and risk
reduction work, and develop a framework for
this workforce that brings together paid workers
and volunteers, enabling all to work together as
effectively as possible. (The roundtable noted
that there is already a significant number of
people with the skills to do such work, some of
whom may be looking for jobs in the wake of the
COVID-19 crisis.)
39
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 3: Community impact – economy,

infrastructure and agriculture
The Black Summer fires have taken an immense toll on Boosting health services
the livelihoods, infrastructure and economies of local (See also Part 1: Physical and mental health impacts
communities. While communities have shown immense of bushfires)
strength and resolve during and after disasters, they
must receive adequate support from all levels of 126. Increase access to healthcare services in
government if they are to recover and thrive in the face bushfire affected communities, based on a clear
of growing threats due to climate change. understanding of community needs, and through
building the size of the workforce, including non-
The period of recovery must be seen as an opportunity hospital-based workers, that can be mobilised to
to build back better. The needs and strengths of address disasters. This can include incentives for
communities must be at the heart of these efforts, with healthcare workers to work in regional areas, and
all support geared towards empowering communities removing any barriers currently inhibiting them
to lead the recovery on their terms and in ways that from doing so; more effectively mobilising general
capitalise on their inherent strengths, and to build their practitioners (GPs) by working through the Royal
community to be stronger, more prosperous, and more Australian College of General Practitioners to
resilient to future challenge. identify which GPs are available in the local
area; and providing GPs with training in disaster
response. The government should also maintain
Supporting a community-led recovery rebates for telehealth, to allow patients in bushfire
affected areas to access remote healthcare.
125. Federal, State and Territory Governments should
provide funding and support that empowers
communities themselves to adapt to climate Building back better
change, build resilience, and reduce emissions
over the coming decade. During the immediate 127. The principle of building back better needs to be
recovery period, governments need to identify, central to all funding and community education
engage and support community leaders who during recovery. The aim should not be to return
can lead the recovery. They must provide the economy, infrastructure and environment to
adequate funding to local governments to clean its old state, but to a better, cleaner and more
up in the aftermath of disasters. This includes resilient state. Regulations need to support this
financial support for local councils and frontline aspiration, for example through appropriate
organisations to better engage with communities building standards, and through factoring
and empower them to develop local resilience in climate projections. It must also also be
strategies that fit with their local context and recognised that many of those living in precarious
harness their strengths (such as a detailed plan circumstances, such as under very high bushfire
for the City of Ryde, soon to be adopted). risk, are doing so as they are unable to afford
alternatives, and that we must therefore work to
ensure that appropriate resilience measures are
accessible and affordable to all.
40
128. Investing in renewable energy should be at the Dealing with the costs of disaster recovery
heart of building back better. Federal, State and
Territory Governments should invest in renewable 130. The Federal Government should develop a
energy, including supporting local community- rebate scheme that supports bushfire affected
owned and decentralised energy schemes, as communities, including farmers, with overcoming
a way of creating new jobs and prosperity in challenges and costs during disasters, such as
bushfire affected regions, and must cease all a lack of drinkable water and power. Rebate
funding and support for fossil fuels. Supporting schemes for solar and battery systems would also
renewable energy also helps set Australia help people develop energy self-sufficiency and
on the path to net zero emissions, thereby greater resilience to disasters in future.
helping reduce the risk of future economic and
environmental shocks. 131. State and Territory Governments should increase
funding and support to protect national parks,
129. Undertake a review of the resilience of local including the species they harbour, from future
critical physical and social infrastructure, and fire dangers and assist with their recovery. This
where necessary provide funding to ensure it should be accompanied by clear information on
can be upgraded to ensure continuous operation how community members can assist bushfire
during and after a disaster. Decentralised affected wildlife.
infrastructure – such as solar and battery
systems, and micro-grids – is important to 132. The Federal Government should establish a
disaster resilience. national climate disaster fund. This fund would
be dedicated to meeting the increasing cost of
climate-fuelled disasters, would be independently
administered, and money would be raised
through a levy on fossil fuel producers.
41
RECOMMENDATIONS
Part 4: Achieving change

through community action
Actions by the community and their local councils are serve to strengthen Australian democracy, and
at the heart of responding to the climate crisis, building are essential to addressing the climate crisis.
the clean economies of the future, and developing
greater resilience to worsening fire danger and other 134. The NSW Government should support and
climate impacts. encourage local councils to create climate action
plans that are designed to achieve net zero
Local initiatives such as community-owned renewable emissions and to build community resilience
energy schemes and disaster risk reduction efforts can to the impacts of climate change. The NSW
provide concrete solutions to climate change while Government must provide appropriate resources
also bringing many other benefits to communities. to local councils to develop these plans. The
Furthermore, through bringing community members plans should:
together, strengthening relationships, and establishing
common interests, they can help to transform politics a. Assess greenhouse gas emissions from
from the bottom up, thereby helping overcome local council operations and across the local
persistent political barriers to climate action. government area, and identify a path to net
zero emissions.
However, while taking hope from the generational
change that is occurring and through positive b. Empower and incentivise communities
examples of community action, roundtable participants to build energy security, affordability and
expressed immense frustration at the state of climate self-sufficiency through community-owned
politics nationally and the woeful lack of action, even clean energy projects including microgrids.
in the face of the catastrophic Black Summer fires. Such schemes not only play an important
They attributed this to the corrosive influence of vested part in decarbonising Australia’s electricity
interests. Communities cannot do it alone. Dealing production, but bring additional benefits
with the challenges of climate change and worsening to communities including cost savings and
bushfires requires all levels of government to work ownership of a productive asset, and can
together, including properly resourcing action at the be an important factor in overall community
community level. resilience.
To better harness the power of community action c. Empower local community members to work
towards building resilience and achieving net zero together more broadly towards a shared
emissions, and to force governments to take stronger vision of community resilience and responding
action on climate change to protect local communities: to the climate crisis. This may include
community-based and council-led adaptation
133. Take practical steps to address the disproportionate plans and disaster risk reduction.
influence of fossil fuel interests within Australian
politics, recognising that these vested interests d. Facilitate the education of local community
have held back action on climate change, risking members on their role in addressing climate
a future of increasing dangers and hardships for change, both in terms of mitigation (reducing
all Australians. Such steps could include, but are emissions) and adaptation (adjusting to
not limited to, ensuring greater transparency of climate impacts).
and limitations upon campaign funding and other
political donations, and establishing a national e. Engage the younger generation and support
anti-corruption commission. These measures will their leadership.
42
135. Community leaders should be resourced to

help build local community resilience, including
disaster preparedness and response, through
empowering the local community to be actively

involved in decision making, and by drawing on
local values and strengths. Support for these
local ‘champions’ should include:
a. Toolkits that provide guidance and support for

starting local initiatives.
b. Matched funding by the Federal or State and

Territory Governments.
43
ENDORSED BY
Pablo Bateson, City of Ryde Vivien Thomson AFSM FARLF, Australian

Cr Elly Bird, Lismore City Council Firefighters Climate Alliance
Dr Simon Bradshaw, Climate Council Dr Bob Vickers, Doctors for the Environment
Australia
Jonty-Jack Bruce
Prof Iain Walker, ANU
Assoc Prof Peter Davies, Macquarie University
Jo Dodds, Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action
Dr Grahame Douglas, National Parks Association of
NSW / Western Sydney University
Leighton Drury, Fire Brigade Employees Union
Leaders for Climate Action (Former Commissioner,
ACT Emergency Services Authority)
Cr Amanda Findley, Shoalhaven City Council
Dr Angela Frimberger
Jenny Goldie, Climate Action Monaro
Brian Gilligan, Emergency Leaders for Climate
Action (Former Director General, NSW Parks and
Wildlife Service)
Dr Turlough Guerin, AG Institute Australia
Dr Michelle Hamrosi, Australian Parents for Climate
Action
Peter Holding AFSM, Farmers for Climate Action /
Climate Kelpie
Chiara Holgate, Australian Meteorological and
Oceanographic Society
Dr Arnagretta Hunter, ANU Medical School
Cr Dominic King, Bellingen Shire Council
Dr Kim Loo, Doctors for Environment Australia
Madi Maclean, Blue Mountains Conservation
Society
Kathryn Maxwell, South Coast Health and
Sustainability Alliance
Dr Kathryn McLachlan, Macquarie University
Greg Mullins AO, AFSM, Emergency Leaders for
Climate Action (Former Commissioner, Fire and
Rescue NSW)
Jim Smith AFSM, Emergency Leaders for Climate
Action (Former Deputy Commissioner, Fire and
Rescue NSW)
Cr Carol Sparks, Glen Innes Severn Council
Prof Will Steffen, Climate Councillor
44
CASE STUDY
Lake Conjola community-led recovery
The New Year’s Eve fires on the Lake Conjola's recovery has been community-led, and to a large
New South Wales South Coast extent, community-funded. The Conjola Community Recovery
tore through dozens of towns, Association was set up after the fires and initially helmed by ELCA’s
including the community of Peter Dunn.
Lake Conjola, where more than
130 homes were destroyed, and Cut off from outside help by closed roads, power losses and problems
three people died. with telecommunications, the community banded together to pick
up the pieces in the aftermath of the disaster. Immediate priorities
included restoring essential services like power and connectivity;
arranging mental health support for traumatised locals; and beginning
the clean-up process.
It has been challenging to access government funding for rebuilding,

but the Conjola community has raised about $350,000 to fund its
own recovery.
The association’s next priorities include improving the area’s

infrastructure and amenities, including building bicycle paths to connect
villages in the area to one another; working with Traditional Owners
to restore the Lake Conjola ecosystem which has been damaged by
the fires; organising temporary housing in town for locals who lost
their homes; and for the first time in the town’s history, developing
evacuation plans to prepare for worsening bushfires in the future.
Since the Black Summer, the Conjola community has also had to
overcome severe flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic. But the
connections forged in the aftermath of the fires have brought the
community closer together, ensuring that even the most vulnerable
members are looked after during the stressful and isolating
lockdown period.
With recovery experts from Government and non-governmental

organisations commencing work in the town, the Conjola Community
Recovery Effort is starting to transition from a volunteer-led recovery
model to a professional model.
The community has come out of an incredibly difficult seven months

more resilient and connected than ever.
The full recovery process will likely take up to three years. In that
time, Conjola locals and community leaders alike continue to
advocate for strong climate action and a swift transition to a net zero
emissions economy.
45
Case Study
46
COMMUNITY SECTOR ROUNDTABLE,

IN COLLABORATION WITH ACOSS, 20 JULY 2020
Bushfires, Climate Change

and the Community Sector
Community Sector Organisations This final roundtable in the National Bushfire and Climate Summit
(CSOs) play a crucial role in 2020 was hosted by the Australian Council of Social Service
supporting people on low incomes (ACOSS) and the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS). It
or experiencing disadvantage brought together people from CSOs large and small, along with
before, during and in the long other experts from across Australia, to share experience and insights
recovery phase following on what is needed to better support the community sector in the
bushfires and other disasters. context of bushfires fuelled by climate change, and in particular
However, CSOs may face many to support people on low incomes or experiencing disadvantage
challenges in being able to before, during and after a bushfire crisis.
meet these needs effectively,

particularly as they become
greater due to climate change.
All Government initiatives must

empower communities to build their
resilience and lead recovery efforts.
47
Community Sector Roundtable
RECOMMENDATIONS
The needs and strengths of communities are at the e. Access to clean energy.
heart of bushfire preparedness, response and recovery.
All government initiatives must empower communities f. Access to transport.
to build their resilience and lead recovery efforts
on their terms. The need for genuine community g. Access to appropriate information and
partnership, Including with Aboriginal and Torres Strait knowledge resources and communications
Islander peoples, communities and organisations technology.
(as outlined in the Closing the Gap Partnership
Agreement), is essential across all recommendations 138. Provide adequate support during disasters such
for improving the nation’s future preparedness, as bushfires, including:
responsiveness and recovery efforts.
a. Increasing the Australian Government
Disaster Recovery Payment from $1,000 to
Governments must do more to reduce emissions $3,000, and from $800 per child to $1,000
in line with the Paris Agreement per child.
136. Greater Government action to address the b. Increasing amount and length of disaster
climate crisis and reduce emissions to net zero recovery allowances.
before 2050.
c. Commonwealth Rent Assistance should be
made available for people eligible for Disaster
Governments must increase support to people Recovery Allowances who are renting privately.
and communities to build resilience, prepare,
respond and recover from bushfires d. Covering funeral costs for people who have
lost their lives in a natural disaster.
137. Reduce poverty and disadvantage to ensure
people and communities have the resources e. Working with essential service providers,
to prepare for, respond to, and recover from including energy, water, and telecommunications,
disasters, including: to provide relief to customers during disasters
and the immediate aftermath to, in addition to
a. Adequate social security, which will require hardship programs, implement a temporary
a permanent increase to income support suspension of billing, moratorium on
payments. disconnections in affected areas, and moratorium
on debt collection in affected areas.
b. Access to employment opportunities for at
risk groups and regions, including Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander communities.
c. Access to affordable essential services.
d. Access to affordable, adequate, secure and

sustainable housing.
48
139. Improve access to support payments and services c. Adequate and culturally appropriate mental
during recovery by: health support, available to disaster affected
communities in the short, medium and long
a. Streamlining the processes into one point of term.

access.
d. Increased local specialist domestic and family
b. Coordinating available support to reduce violence services (including elder abuse),
confusion and duplication. particularly in the short to long-term recovery
period after a disaster.
c. Expanding mobile recovery centres and after-
hours outreach clinics in regional and rural e. Increased availability of social, community and
areas. Aboriginal housing in affected areas.
d. Allowing for data and information sharing (with 142. Support Community Sector Organisations (CSOs)
consent) to ensure trauma is not exacerbated to respond to natural disasters by:
by forcing victims to repeat their stories.
a. Providing flexibility in government grant

e. Ensuring information is accessible to address agreements for local CSOs to expedite
all needs, in a culturally appropriate form, and emergency grant arrangements to meet
including language needs, disability, and to community needs.
those who can’t access technology.
b. Providing a Contingency Flexible Fund for
140. Develop Government Emergency Response local CSOs.
Protocols that outline immediate actions in the
event of an emergency, including: c. Enabling local CSOs to manage surge capacity
to meet the increased demand for services
a. Waiving mutual obligation requirements for during and in the aftermath of the disaster.
income support payments.
d. Ensuring immediate financial compensation
b. Suspending income management of welfare for CSOs affected by intensive unprecedented

payments. response and recovery efforts.
c. Relief from Community Development Program e. Ensuring CSOs are not penalised for failing
(CDP) responsibilities during and directly after to meet contractual obligations due to
disasters. their participation in disaster response and
recovery efforts.
d. Expediting payments.
f. Supporting ACOSS and the COSS network
141. Additional funding to meet increased demand for to create a one stop national online resource
social support services during and post disaster for how to get help and how to help in the
that is tailored and responsive to community disaster crisis.

needs, including:
143. Funding to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait
a. Increased funding for emergency and food Islander peoples and communities, including:
relief.
a. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land
b. Funding and resources for legal services and Councils, to invest in infrastructure on lands
financial counselling. managed by Aborginal and Torres Strait Islander
people, such as access to water sources, fire
trucks, roads, fire trails, and community training,
to improve resilience to bushfires.
49
b. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 147. Formally identify, consult with and incorporate
communities to develop strategies to prepare CSOs - including Aboriginal and Torres Strait
for, respond and recover from natural Islander organisations (especially community-
disasters such as bushfires, that build on controlled organisations), multicultural
traditional and local knowledge. organisations, small/local CSOs, and those
supporting people with disability, children
and youth, and the elderly - in emergency
Australia must shift to a whole-of-community, management governance arrangement at
all-hazards, nationwide approach to better Federal, State and Territory and local level to
build resilience, plan, respond and recover improve preparedness, response and recovery.
from emergencies
148. Create and fund local community disaster
144. Establish a formal disaster management management hubs that are community-led and
mechanism that has a whole-of-community engaged in building resilience and assisting in
approach to and responsibility for planning, emergency management planning, response and
resilience, response and recovery. This should recovery. These should:
include Federal, State and Territory and local
governments, Aboriginal and Torres Strait a. Serve as a lasting and trusted facilitator who
Islander Land Councils and community leaders, can link communities together.
businesses, the community sector, and members
of the community (see also recommendation 147). b. Provide information on escalating disaster
risks, climate change and resilience
145. Fund local councils to form local community strategies.
resilience committees to promote collaboration
and joint planning between government, c. Serve as a connector between community
Community Sector Organisations (CSOs), and government services.
community groups and local businesses.
These committees could be subcommittees d. Be resourced with ongoing funding.
of relevant Federal, State and Territory
emergency management committees (see also e. Lead resilience building, response and
recommendations 147 and 148). recovery programs.
f. Access local leadership, knowledge and

Greater recognition of the role of Community expertise.
Sector Organisations (CSOs), especially local
and place-based, in supporting people and g. Develop partnerships with local CSOs and
communities to build resilience, prepare, emergency management agencies.
respond and recover from disasters such as
bushfires h. Support collaborations, networks and
leadership.
146. Governments and emergency management
services should formally recognise the critical i. Support people experiencing disadvantage
role of CSOs in helping people and communities before, during and after disasters.
build resilience, prepare, respond and recover
from emergencies, and adequately fund the role j. Publish emergency preparation plans and
to be able to meet the ongoing needs of people help members of the community to establish
and communities as the scale and intensity of their own disaster preparation plans.
disasters increase due to climate change.
k. Embed an autonomous local community
liaison role within bushfire affected and
vulnerable communities.
50
149. Fund and support CSOs to build their capability Upskill the staff and volunteers of Community
and capacity to ensure they and their clients Service Organisations (CSOs) and raise
are more resilient to and can better respond awareness of the role they play in emergency
and recover from disasters such as bushfires. management

Including to:
151. Emergency management organisations should
a. Implement disaster management and work with CSO peak bodies to develop culturally
business continuity plans within the appropriate training strategies to upskill the
organisation. staff and volunteers of CSOs in (a) disaster
management roles and (b) how to work disaster
b. Train and support staff and volunteers resilience and preparedness consistently into
to implement disaster management and their regular operations/management/strategies.
business continuity plans. This could include a toolkit for CSOs to provide
guidance on roles and better practice.
c. Ensure that frontline responders and CSOs
have access to key support services, such as 152. Provide appropriate training for volunteers
vicarious trauma training and psychological that could lead to formal recognition such as
support, for staff and volunteers. This should a less intensive version of the Certificate IV in
be provided on an ongoing basis. Emergency Response Coordination.
d. Grow the diversity of volunteers to reflect 153. Governments should work with CSO peak bodies
community needs and invest in CSOs to help and emergency management organisations
manage the many spontaneous volunteers, to engage universities and training providers
who commonly offer support during bushfires to incorporate emergency management and
and other disasters. community-led preparedness and recovery
content in relevant degree and training programs.
e. Build the resilience and preparedness of
their clients and undertake community 154. State and Territories should implement initiatives
resilience activities to boost preparation for to raise the awareness of the role of local CSOs in
disasters and reduce vulnerability. This could disaster management, including:

include strengthening social networks and
connectedness within the community. a. Expanding emergency management training
to include an overview of the role of CSOs
150. Government funds to support the COSS network in supporting people and communities to
and peak bodies to strengthen the resilience of prepare, respond and recover from disasters.
CSOs:
b. Understanding of the role of CSOs within
a. Train and support CSOs to develop and emergency management training.
implement disaster management and
business continuity plans. c. Inclusion of CSOs in policy development and
emergency management forums.

b. Establish knowledge sharing hubs between
CSOs that support collaborations, networks d. Specific communications outlining the role
and leadership. and value of including CSOs in disaster
management.
c. Access and referrals to build capability and
capacity of staff and volunteers, including e. Involving senior leadership as champions.
trauma informed services.
155. Education for other stakeholders, emergency
d. Advocacy and communications with services, business, and the broader community
governments. about the value of CSOs in delivering disaster
management services.
51
Fund Research to better support Community 162. The Government and industry should work
Sector Organisations (CSOs), communities together to increase the affordability and
and community members to build resilience, accessibility of insurance products for people
prepare, respond and recover from disasters living on low incomes. A range of low-cost
such as bushfires products, payment options and mechanisms
should be made available to make premiums
156. Analyse and evaluate the contribution made by easier to manage, including:
CSOs to emergency management work. This
research will measure and demonstrate the a. Increasing the number of targeted low cost
work and value (including monetary value and products through more insurance companies.
return on investment) provided by CSOs during For example, Good Shepherd Microfinance,
disasters. The research findings should also be in partnership with Suncorp/AAI, currently
translated and accessible to community workers. offers premiums of as little as $4 per week for
eligible people.
157. Support the development of an online tool that
includes a social vulnerability index (such as the b. Providing options for small amounts of cover.
Australian Natural Disaster Resilience Index) and
online mapping feature to help identify where c. Improving promotion of existing products
communities may need additional support to targeted to people on low incomes.
build resilience, prepare, respond and recover
from disasters. The tool should be used in the d. Developing new products such as renters
development of local climate change resilience insurance.
and emergency management plans to t better
address the needs of people and communities e. Considering exempting people on low
more vulnerable to disasters. incomes from insurance stamp duties.
158. Fund research to better understand the impacts f. Offering fortnightly or weekly payment
of disasters on Aboriginal and Torres Strait options.
Islander peoples and facilitate their involvement
in recovery. g. Offering Centrepay payment options.
159. Undertake research to better understand and h. Providing information in plain english as well
articulate recovery needs of communities and as in other languages.
community members.
i. Offering free and impartial advice about
160. Funded bushfire research should also involve insurance.
the practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples in preparing for, responding to j. Partnering with Community Sector
and recovering from bushfire and other disaster Organisations (CSOs) to develop trust and
events, including landscape management. deliver appropriate products.
163. Governments and the insurance industry should

Improve access to affordable insurance ensure expedited processing of all insurance
claims following an emergency or disaster, and
161. Establish a review on insurance affordability financial counselling and legal support should be
in Australia, with regard to worsening impacts available to people to support them through the
of climate change and rising levels of financial insurance claims process.
difficulty. The review should consider options for
ensuring insurance coverage for people on low
incomes.
52
164. Make home insurance suitable and fair, including

through the Federal Government expediting
claims handling reforms from the Banking Royal
Commission, mandating standardized terms and

modernising the standard cover regime. Insurers
should expedite the removal of unfair contract
terms in insurance contracts.
165. To encourage understanding and uptake of

insurance, and to meet the particular needs of
people living on low incomes, the insurance
industry should:
a. Encourage and promote targeted financial

resilience programs.
b. Adopt financial inclusion policies, including

hardship programs.
53
ENDORSED BY
ACOSS
ACTCOSS
NCOSS
NTCOSS
QCOSS
SACOSS
TASCOSS
VCOSS
WACOSS
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health
Organisation (NACCHO)
NSW Aborignial Land Council
Brotherhood of St Laurence
Salvation Army
Foodbank
Community Industry Group
Volunteering Australia
COTA Victoria
Northern Rivers Community Gateway
Woden Community Service
Southern Grampians Glenelg Primary Care
Partnership
Gateway Family Services
Morwell Neighbourhood House
Gippsland Disability Advocacy
Mountains Community Resource Network
David Templeman, former Director General of
Emergency Management Australia and current
President, Public Health Association of Australia
(PHAA)
Dr Scott Hanson-Easey, School of Public Health,
The University of Adelaide
Prof Lisa Gibbs, Director Child & Community
Wellbeing Unit; and Academic Lead for Community
Resilience at the Centre for Disaster Management
and Public Safety, University of Melbourne
Assoc Prof Michelle Villeneuve, Centre for
Disability Research and Policy, University of Sydney
Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
54
Image Credits
Cover image: “Belrose Hazard Reduction” by Flickr

user NSW RFS Media Services licensed under CC
BY-NCND 2.0.
Page 8: “Tragic Loss” by Flickr user Neil Creek

licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Page 24: NSW Rural Fire Service crews fight the

Gospers Mountain Fire as it impacts a structure at
Bilpin, Saturday, December 21, 2019. AAP Image/Dan
Himbrechts.
Page 31: Photo by Holger Link on Unsplash.
Page 34: Mount Barney Lodge.
Page 41: "Bushfire" by Flickr user Martin Snicer

licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.
Page 46: Major General Peter Dunn AO (ret).
55
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Australian Bushfire Climate Plan 1

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Australian Bushfire Climate Plan 1

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Australian Bushfire

and Climate Plan

Informed by climate science and centuries of combined experience, ELCA is working to

Published by Emergency Leaders for Climate Action and the Climate

Part 1: Climate change and the changing nature of fires 12

The cost of bushfires fuelled by climate change............................................................... 21

Bushfires and climate change in NSW..................................................................................35

Part 1: Physical and mental health impacts of bushfires 36

Bushfires, climate change and the community sector..................................................... 47

While unprecedented, this tragedy was not unforeseen.

In a series of online roundtables from June to July

Image: 6 of the 33 members of ELCA.

Tackling the climate crisis 5. The Federal Government, in partnership with

List of Summit Participants

Wendy Cohen, Farmers for Dr Robert Glasser, ANU

Craig Lapsley PSM, Emergency Russell Rees AFSM, Emergency Alliance

Kathryn Maxwell, South Coast Cr Carol Sparks, Glen Innes Severn

Amanda McKenzie, Climate Council Prof Will Steffen, Climate Councillor

Dr Kathryn McLachlan, Macquarie Victor Steffensen, Mulong

Wendy Miller, QCOSS Steve Sutton, Emergency Leaders

EXPERT ROUNDTABLE ONE, 10 JUNE 2020

A National Response to the Bushfire

on the changing nature of fires, explored a wide range of training

Addressing greenhouse gas emissions

Part 1: Climate change and

2. Continue to support basic and applied research

Part 2: Landscape management in the

cultural and prescribed burning)

to support Indigenous Communities with

b. Provision of data and information to potentially

c. Resourcing an expansion of activities by fire

Part 3: Dealing with more dangerous

input to predictive modelling, operational

with a range of specific, tailored capabilities.

19. Consider making Humanitarian Assistance

20. Ensure Defence has the ability to accurately

21. Undertake major exercises for domestic disaster

22. Review the adequacy of Defence Assistance to

23. Appoint permanent military liaison officers to

Upgrading standards and guidelines

It is critical that Australia’s standards and planning

24. Review and rewrite Australian standards on

Part 4: National coordination

28. Develop a consistent national approach

to real time as possible – on where fires have

National leadership and enhancing cooperation

There is a need for new legislation that provides a clear

34. Include clear triggers for when the Federal

35. Support the establishment of a national disaster

36. Support the establishment of a national disaster

Part 5: Research, training, capacity

of roles and responsibilities, and alignment and Communications.

47. Encourage the formation and resourcing of

48. Consider new options to support volunteers, who

EXPERT ROUNDTABLE TWO, 3 JUNE 2020

The Cost of Bushfires

expanding firefighting capabilities, strategies for promoting health

The stress and trauma of recent

Part 1: Federal, state and territory funding for firefighting