New research funding will improve resilience to natural hazards

The Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre welcomes today’s announcement from the Australian Government to continue funding natural hazards research in Australia by investing $88.1 million over the next 10 years.

According to the Government “the funding will support the transition of the current Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (BNHCRC) to a new, world-class research centre for natural hazard resilience and disaster risk reduction.”

“This will continue the coordinated national research effort of the last 18 years and address the major challenges arising from the 2019/20 bushfire season,” said Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO, FTSE, Chair of the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre.

“The CRC will work closely with the Australian Government to develop a new strategic research agenda for Australia along with its partners at CSIRO, the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council, state-based emergency service agencies, universities and industry partners.

“This new funding will allow Australia to remain at the forefront of natural hazards research. As a country, we must continue to improve how we prepare for, respond to, and recover from bushfires, cyclones, floods and storms,” Dr Woodthorpe said.

As part of the announcement the Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre will receive $2 million to immediately investigate key issues from the 2019/20 bushfire season.

“Australia experienced one of its most devastating bushfire seasons over 2019/20,” said the CEO of the Bushfire and Natural Cooperative Research Centre, Dr Richard Thornton.

“We know that natural hazards are causing more damage across Australia than ever before, and that research is essential to improving resilience. The difficult questions around the most complex problems must be asked. The best answers take time to develop and time to be adopted by those facing natural hazards as part of their life.

“There are many crucial lessons we need to take from what was seen across such a large part of the country. As our research at the CRC was coming to an end, this new funding will allow us to identify the most important lessons to improve mitigation, response and recovery,” Dr Thornton said.

The National research priorities for natural hazards emergency management, developed by the CRC between 2015 and 2019, represents the consensus view of industry experts, and will be the starting point for a nationally coordinated research program.

For interviews, contact Nathan Maddock, 0439 377 080 or nathan.maddock@bnhcrc.com.au

View the media release from The Hon. David Littleproud MP, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, and The Hon. Karen Andrews MP, Minister for Industry, Science and Technology.