Stay informed and connected with the CRC

The end of June 2021 marks eight years since the establishment of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC.

It also marks the formal end of the funding for the centre and the active research of more than 50 projects in the core research program. I use the term 'formal end' because many of these projects are still actively producing reports and undertaking utilisation activities, to support our partners to best use the knowledge from the projects.

In recent weeks, we were advised by the Australian Government that the CRC could continue to roll out these research outputs while working on the important establishment phase of a new national centre for natural hazards and disaster resilience research.

What this effectively means is that the new centre begins on 1 July, but that the CRC will operate within it and continue with a strong research utilisation program until all the CRC's projects have delivered their final outputs.

This is great news for our current partners, who can remain engaged with current research while the structures and processes are put in place for the new long-term centre.

All current CRC staff can still be contacted in the usual way on matters concerning both the CRC and the new centre.

The establishment phase of the new centre will involve an extensive series of sector-wide workshops and meetings with potential end-user and research partners, to define and develop a long-term research program. Many partners and research organisations have already expressed a keenness to be involved, as have many new players from government, community, industry and the research sectors.

At this stage, I ask that you standby for more announcements on the new research centre and, in the meantime, stay connected and informed through the continued outputs of the CRC.

Back in 2013, the priority of the CRC was to conduct research that was collaborative, high-quality, useful and used. In delivering this, our partners have shaped and supported everything we have done and achieved - with more than 300 individuals from end-user organisations having been directly involved.

As a valued partner of the CRC, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your support and involvement over the eight years of national research under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program.

I am pleased to provide each core funding partner with a final summary of the research outputs, as one way of showing a return on investment in the CRC. A suite of publications is now being posted out to all these partners. Together, they demonstrate how the CRC has delivered on its original aims to:

• reduce the risks from bushfire and natural hazards 
• reduce the social, economic and environmental costs of disasters 
• contribute to the national disaster resilience agenda 
• build internationally renowned Australian research capacity and capability.  

The publications highlight, in a small part, the essential learnings across a range of natural hazard management issues, as identified by your organisation and the many other partners in collaboration across Australia and New Zealand. They provide a practical guide to finding and using the research in your organisation today. I encourage you to read and share these outputs with your colleagues. These publications, the highlights and achievements of the CRC, are also available on our website. Further hard copies are available on request. Included within these documents are case studies of where the research has been used, guidance on the key reports and outputs, links to more detailed information, access to operational tools and frameworks, and links to how-to videos and webinars.  

These publications complement a broader body of knowledge that includes a substantial list of resources on the CRC website, a national capacity of people-skills built up across our partner agencies, and a renewed focus on natural hazards sciences across our research organisations and universities. This includes more than 600 reports, 100 Hazard Notes, 200 videos and more than 400 scientific publications underpinning the findings.  

Driving Change – www.bnhcrc.com.au/driving-change – is the starting point to explore the online summary of highlights and achievements of the CRC, demonstrating the ways that CRC research has driven change in the sector. Given its importance as an ongoing resource for the sector, the website will be maintained beyond the formal end date of the CRC – keep checking back regularly for updates. 

The critical role of science and research has never been more apparent. As we move forward to establish the new national centre in natural hazards research, these outputs of the CRC will form the basis of a discussion about new knowledge gaps to be addressed in new national research priorities. This is a discussion that will involve you as a current partner of the CRC, and I anticipate your contribution will support the creation of a purposeful and relevant national research program that increases community safety for all Australians and New Zealanders. 

With the CRC nearing its completion, it is time to acknowledge and celebrate the effort of everyone in this national collaborative knowledge network. In 2013, we had such an ambitious vision for the CRC and, in 2021 I strongly believe that, as a collective, we have more than delivered for the nation. I commend your role in the success of the centre and look forward to the continuation of the partnership.

Dr Richard Thornton
CEO
Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC