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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Childcare safety failures are a shock, how we respond shapes us for years to come
Like every Australian, I've watched the early learning safety crisis with heartbreak. The justified rage and anguish families feel is a response to a profound betrayal of our collective trust. Australia now stands at a pivotal moment. Societal shocks, as author Naomi Klein has noted, have the potential to be used to roll back progress that takes decades to achieve. We're already seeing this pattern emerge, with some calling to abandon the early learning system in favour of subsidising parents to stay home, with everyone understanding that this burden would overwhelmingly fall on women. I understand why many in this moment do not feel confident in our early learning system, and it is clear that major reforms are needed. But we must not let this crisis undo what generations of women fought so hard to build. I remember starting my career when access to high-quality early learning was virtually non-existent. Women faced impossible choices: abandon careers they'd spent a lifetime developing or cobble together unreliable care arrangements. Too many brilliant women stepped back, their talents lost to our workplaces and economy. The expansion of access to high-quality early childhood education and care changed that, brick by brick, centre by centre. This progress wasn't just awarded to us. Legions of women fought for it. Today, that system enables millions of Australian women to engage in the workforce, benefiting not only individuals but entire communities and our economy. Yet despite this progress, we still have a very long way to go. Australia ranks 34th globally for women's economic participation, despite having one of the world's most educated female populations. This paradox is clear in our workforce: around 70 per cent of Australia's part-time roles are filled by women, representing a striking underutilisation of decades of investment in women and girl's education and skills. Addressing this imbalance is not only fair but economically essential. CEW research conducted by Dr Angela Jackson shows that if women participated in our workforce at the same rate as men, we would unlock a million additional workers. Deloitte notes that achieving gender equality would grow our GDP by over $128 billion. According to the Grattan Institute, even a modest 2 per cent increase in women's workforce participation would inject over $11 billion into our nation's economy. Our economy is crying out for talent, facing critical skills shortages across every sector. Every economist in the country has been warning us about the slump in our national productivity. Nonetheless, we've failed to utilise our single biggest untapped resource: scores of qualified Australian women, over 140,000 of whom still cite early learning costs or availability as barriers to working more. We're leaving this immense talent base on the table at a time we absolutely cannot afford to. Ideas such as replacing early learning support for families with tax deductions might sound like flexibility, but they're a mirage. They disproportionately benefit higher-income families and fail to help those most in need of safe, affordable early education. Real flexibility requires structural reforms: universally accessible paid parental leave shared between partners; targeted tax reforms to reduce effective marginal rates that discourage women from increasing their hours; and most importantly, building a universal early learning system where access isn't determined by postcode or income. We must see early childhood education as essential infrastructure, like our schools and hospitals, vital to thriving communities. This system needs serious reform. New powers to strip funding from failing providers must be the beginning, not the end. We need better oversight, routine quality assessments, fairer wages and more support for our dedicated early educators. The overwhelming majority deserve our respect, not suspicion. In crisis, the temptation is to abandon what seems broken rather than fix it. But our early learning system is too important to abandon. The gains Australian women have made in workforce participation didn't happen by chance; they resulted from deliberate policy choices that strengthened entire communities. This progress remains vulnerable and requires ongoing commitment. Now, more than ever, Australia needs a robust, universal early childhood education system that supports women's workforce participation, economic and community prosperity, and ensures our children get the best start in life. Like every Australian, I've watched the early learning safety crisis with heartbreak. The justified rage and anguish families feel is a response to a profound betrayal of our collective trust. Australia now stands at a pivotal moment. Societal shocks, as author Naomi Klein has noted, have the potential to be used to roll back progress that takes decades to achieve. We're already seeing this pattern emerge, with some calling to abandon the early learning system in favour of subsidising parents to stay home, with everyone understanding that this burden would overwhelmingly fall on women. I understand why many in this moment do not feel confident in our early learning system, and it is clear that major reforms are needed. But we must not let this crisis undo what generations of women fought so hard to build. I remember starting my career when access to high-quality early learning was virtually non-existent. Women faced impossible choices: abandon careers they'd spent a lifetime developing or cobble together unreliable care arrangements. Too many brilliant women stepped back, their talents lost to our workplaces and economy. The expansion of access to high-quality early childhood education and care changed that, brick by brick, centre by centre. This progress wasn't just awarded to us. Legions of women fought for it. Today, that system enables millions of Australian women to engage in the workforce, benefiting not only individuals but entire communities and our economy. Yet despite this progress, we still have a very long way to go. Australia ranks 34th globally for women's economic participation, despite having one of the world's most educated female populations. This paradox is clear in our workforce: around 70 per cent of Australia's part-time roles are filled by women, representing a striking underutilisation of decades of investment in women and girl's education and skills. Addressing this imbalance is not only fair but economically essential. CEW research conducted by Dr Angela Jackson shows that if women participated in our workforce at the same rate as men, we would unlock a million additional workers. Deloitte notes that achieving gender equality would grow our GDP by over $128 billion. According to the Grattan Institute, even a modest 2 per cent increase in women's workforce participation would inject over $11 billion into our nation's economy. Our economy is crying out for talent, facing critical skills shortages across every sector. Every economist in the country has been warning us about the slump in our national productivity. Nonetheless, we've failed to utilise our single biggest untapped resource: scores of qualified Australian women, over 140,000 of whom still cite early learning costs or availability as barriers to working more. We're leaving this immense talent base on the table at a time we absolutely cannot afford to. Ideas such as replacing early learning support for families with tax deductions might sound like flexibility, but they're a mirage. They disproportionately benefit higher-income families and fail to help those most in need of safe, affordable early education. Real flexibility requires structural reforms: universally accessible paid parental leave shared between partners; targeted tax reforms to reduce effective marginal rates that discourage women from increasing their hours; and most importantly, building a universal early learning system where access isn't determined by postcode or income. We must see early childhood education as essential infrastructure, like our schools and hospitals, vital to thriving communities. This system needs serious reform. New powers to strip funding from failing providers must be the beginning, not the end. We need better oversight, routine quality assessments, fairer wages and more support for our dedicated early educators. The overwhelming majority deserve our respect, not suspicion. In crisis, the temptation is to abandon what seems broken rather than fix it. But our early learning system is too important to abandon. The gains Australian women have made in workforce participation didn't happen by chance; they resulted from deliberate policy choices that strengthened entire communities. This progress remains vulnerable and requires ongoing commitment. Now, more than ever, Australia needs a robust, universal early childhood education system that supports women's workforce participation, economic and community prosperity, and ensures our children get the best start in life. Like every Australian, I've watched the early learning safety crisis with heartbreak. The justified rage and anguish families feel is a response to a profound betrayal of our collective trust. Australia now stands at a pivotal moment. Societal shocks, as author Naomi Klein has noted, have the potential to be used to roll back progress that takes decades to achieve. We're already seeing this pattern emerge, with some calling to abandon the early learning system in favour of subsidising parents to stay home, with everyone understanding that this burden would overwhelmingly fall on women. I understand why many in this moment do not feel confident in our early learning system, and it is clear that major reforms are needed. But we must not let this crisis undo what generations of women fought so hard to build. I remember starting my career when access to high-quality early learning was virtually non-existent. Women faced impossible choices: abandon careers they'd spent a lifetime developing or cobble together unreliable care arrangements. Too many brilliant women stepped back, their talents lost to our workplaces and economy. The expansion of access to high-quality early childhood education and care changed that, brick by brick, centre by centre. This progress wasn't just awarded to us. Legions of women fought for it. Today, that system enables millions of Australian women to engage in the workforce, benefiting not only individuals but entire communities and our economy. Yet despite this progress, we still have a very long way to go. Australia ranks 34th globally for women's economic participation, despite having one of the world's most educated female populations. This paradox is clear in our workforce: around 70 per cent of Australia's part-time roles are filled by women, representing a striking underutilisation of decades of investment in women and girl's education and skills. Addressing this imbalance is not only fair but economically essential. CEW research conducted by Dr Angela Jackson shows that if women participated in our workforce at the same rate as men, we would unlock a million additional workers. Deloitte notes that achieving gender equality would grow our GDP by over $128 billion. According to the Grattan Institute, even a modest 2 per cent increase in women's workforce participation would inject over $11 billion into our nation's economy. Our economy is crying out for talent, facing critical skills shortages across every sector. Every economist in the country has been warning us about the slump in our national productivity. Nonetheless, we've failed to utilise our single biggest untapped resource: scores of qualified Australian women, over 140,000 of whom still cite early learning costs or availability as barriers to working more. We're leaving this immense talent base on the table at a time we absolutely cannot afford to. Ideas such as replacing early learning support for families with tax deductions might sound like flexibility, but they're a mirage. They disproportionately benefit higher-income families and fail to help those most in need of safe, affordable early education. Real flexibility requires structural reforms: universally accessible paid parental leave shared between partners; targeted tax reforms to reduce effective marginal rates that discourage women from increasing their hours; and most importantly, building a universal early learning system where access isn't determined by postcode or income. We must see early childhood education as essential infrastructure, like our schools and hospitals, vital to thriving communities. This system needs serious reform. New powers to strip funding from failing providers must be the beginning, not the end. We need better oversight, routine quality assessments, fairer wages and more support for our dedicated early educators. The overwhelming majority deserve our respect, not suspicion. In crisis, the temptation is to abandon what seems broken rather than fix it. But our early learning system is too important to abandon. The gains Australian women have made in workforce participation didn't happen by chance; they resulted from deliberate policy choices that strengthened entire communities. This progress remains vulnerable and requires ongoing commitment. Now, more than ever, Australia needs a robust, universal early childhood education system that supports women's workforce participation, economic and community prosperity, and ensures our children get the best start in life. Like every Australian, I've watched the early learning safety crisis with heartbreak. The justified rage and anguish families feel is a response to a profound betrayal of our collective trust. Australia now stands at a pivotal moment. Societal shocks, as author Naomi Klein has noted, have the potential to be used to roll back progress that takes decades to achieve. We're already seeing this pattern emerge, with some calling to abandon the early learning system in favour of subsidising parents to stay home, with everyone understanding that this burden would overwhelmingly fall on women. I understand why many in this moment do not feel confident in our early learning system, and it is clear that major reforms are needed. But we must not let this crisis undo what generations of women fought so hard to build. I remember starting my career when access to high-quality early learning was virtually non-existent. Women faced impossible choices: abandon careers they'd spent a lifetime developing or cobble together unreliable care arrangements. Too many brilliant women stepped back, their talents lost to our workplaces and economy. The expansion of access to high-quality early childhood education and care changed that, brick by brick, centre by centre. This progress wasn't just awarded to us. Legions of women fought for it. Today, that system enables millions of Australian women to engage in the workforce, benefiting not only individuals but entire communities and our economy. Yet despite this progress, we still have a very long way to go. Australia ranks 34th globally for women's economic participation, despite having one of the world's most educated female populations. This paradox is clear in our workforce: around 70 per cent of Australia's part-time roles are filled by women, representing a striking underutilisation of decades of investment in women and girl's education and skills. Addressing this imbalance is not only fair but economically essential. CEW research conducted by Dr Angela Jackson shows that if women participated in our workforce at the same rate as men, we would unlock a million additional workers. Deloitte notes that achieving gender equality would grow our GDP by over $128 billion. According to the Grattan Institute, even a modest 2 per cent increase in women's workforce participation would inject over $11 billion into our nation's economy. Our economy is crying out for talent, facing critical skills shortages across every sector. Every economist in the country has been warning us about the slump in our national productivity. Nonetheless, we've failed to utilise our single biggest untapped resource: scores of qualified Australian women, over 140,000 of whom still cite early learning costs or availability as barriers to working more. We're leaving this immense talent base on the table at a time we absolutely cannot afford to. Ideas such as replacing early learning support for families with tax deductions might sound like flexibility, but they're a mirage. They disproportionately benefit higher-income families and fail to help those most in need of safe, affordable early education. Real flexibility requires structural reforms: universally accessible paid parental leave shared between partners; targeted tax reforms to reduce effective marginal rates that discourage women from increasing their hours; and most importantly, building a universal early learning system where access isn't determined by postcode or income. We must see early childhood education as essential infrastructure, like our schools and hospitals, vital to thriving communities. This system needs serious reform. New powers to strip funding from failing providers must be the beginning, not the end. We need better oversight, routine quality assessments, fairer wages and more support for our dedicated early educators. The overwhelming majority deserve our respect, not suspicion. In crisis, the temptation is to abandon what seems broken rather than fix it. But our early learning system is too important to abandon. The gains Australian women have made in workforce participation didn't happen by chance; they resulted from deliberate policy choices that strengthened entire communities. This progress remains vulnerable and requires ongoing commitment. Now, more than ever, Australia needs a robust, universal early childhood education system that supports women's workforce participation, economic and community prosperity, and ensures our children get the best start in life.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Councils in the disaster front line
As the Hunter and Mid North Coast battle with yet another series of floods, two major studies have called for an increased role for local government in dealing with natural disaster response and recovery. The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has suggested local government should add a fourth "R" - "Resilience" for their dealing with disasters - to their traditional remit of rates, roads and rubbish. A second study by La Trobe University "Strengthening Collaboration in Emergency Management" provides a case study on five Victorian councils' responses which it says redefined how regional organisations can work together to save property and lives. Australian Community Media has questioned councils in the Hunter and Mid North Coast about their roles in disaster management and recovery and will be bringing their responses in a separate article in our Disaster Deadline - Who Will Save Us? series. However, a common theme from the AHRUI study, which will no doubt resonate with councils, is that they need support and funding to lead local disaster risk management. Research for the study 'Inquiry into housing policy and disaster: better coordinating actions, responses and data' was conducted by researchers from University of NSW, RMIT University and Curtin University. Lead author of the research, Professor David Sanderson, from the University of New South Wales. said local governments should add a fourth "R" for "resilience", in addition to their traditional "rates, roads and rubbish' remit. 'This resilience remit is about improving local ownership of decisions to manage how disaster affects local communities,' said Professor Sanderson. 'The key role of local government is not only when disaster hits - it's also about preventing and mitigating disasters before they occur, and managing the long recovery process after. After all, they are best placed to achieve this, given the right support.' But the study finds that to fulfil this role, they need better support from the State and Commonwealth governments. "Local governments already do the best they can to support their communities to prepare for, prevent and respond to disasters. However, this role is hindered by a lack of resources, lack of investment and a lack of political authority," Professor Sanderson said.. 'The role is also hindered by a lack of reliable data.' Professor Sanderson said preparing for disasters is not seen as core business for many local governments. However, he said having a suite of plans in place before such an event makes it much easier for local governments to allocate and direct resources when the event occurs. "It starts with having accurate data of where disasters might happen and what their impact could be," he said. "From this data local governments can identify planning zones where housing should and shouldn't be built, or what levels of building protection are needed if building is allowed in those at-risk areas." The study found that forward planning also meant local governments know where and what type of any temporary accommodation should be built. It means construction can start very quickly to house displaced residents if necessary. Professor Sanderson said when the immediate threat from fire, flood, windstorm or other disaster has passed, local governments can find themselves overloaded, particularly if there aren't policies in place that have been prioritised before the disaster. The study found some key policies governments need to consider include: Professor Sanderson said state, territory and federal governments can invest in better prepared communities and better recovery by building local government political authority and capacity in all aspects of disaster management. They can also improve other important aspects of disaster management, such as leading coordinated decisions on data management and leading research and evaluation of disaster responses that can support local governments in their planning, preparation and policymaking. Professor Sanderson said having trusted data sources is essential to implementing accurate policies. "Our research shows that having accurate and up-to-date data about disaster hazards is crucial for making effective decisions and managing risks,' says Professor Sanderson. "However, there is a problem with a lack of data standards, availability and quality.' "There is also a lack of trust in the available data, which can make important decisions fraught, such as where new development is allowed." The Victorian research showed the regions were better able to address local needs during emergencies when they combined resources and worked together. But the report said emergency funding systems needed to be set up to support, rather than hinder, collaboration. This was seen as particularly important as climate change drives an increase in the intensity, frequency and scale of disasters. Dr Lisa de Kleyn, lead researcher from La Trobe's Climate Change Adaptation Lab, said the collaborative effort by Campaspe Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, City of Greater Bendigo, Loddon Shire and Mount Alexander Shire councils helped ease pressure by addressing resource gaps, worker burnout, complex community needs and the growing strain of responding to frequent disasters. "Many councils were managing both flood response and recovery simultaneously, while their own emergency staff were directly impacted by floodwaters," Dr de Kleyn said. "This model of collaboration, deep local knowledge and mutual trust enabled the councils to deliver a level of care and coordination no single council could achieve alone." Previous Disaster Deadline: Who Will Save Us? articles. As the Hunter and Mid North Coast battle with yet another series of floods, two major studies have called for an increased role for local government in dealing with natural disaster response and recovery. The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has suggested local government should add a fourth "R" - "Resilience" for their dealing with disasters - to their traditional remit of rates, roads and rubbish. A second study by La Trobe University "Strengthening Collaboration in Emergency Management" provides a case study on five Victorian councils' responses which it says redefined how regional organisations can work together to save property and lives. Australian Community Media has questioned councils in the Hunter and Mid North Coast about their roles in disaster management and recovery and will be bringing their responses in a separate article in our Disaster Deadline - Who Will Save Us? series. However, a common theme from the AHRUI study, which will no doubt resonate with councils, is that they need support and funding to lead local disaster risk management. Research for the study 'Inquiry into housing policy and disaster: better coordinating actions, responses and data' was conducted by researchers from University of NSW, RMIT University and Curtin University. Lead author of the research, Professor David Sanderson, from the University of New South Wales. said local governments should add a fourth "R" for "resilience", in addition to their traditional "rates, roads and rubbish' remit. 'This resilience remit is about improving local ownership of decisions to manage how disaster affects local communities,' said Professor Sanderson. 'The key role of local government is not only when disaster hits - it's also about preventing and mitigating disasters before they occur, and managing the long recovery process after. After all, they are best placed to achieve this, given the right support.' But the study finds that to fulfil this role, they need better support from the State and Commonwealth governments. "Local governments already do the best they can to support their communities to prepare for, prevent and respond to disasters. However, this role is hindered by a lack of resources, lack of investment and a lack of political authority," Professor Sanderson said.. 'The role is also hindered by a lack of reliable data.' Professor Sanderson said preparing for disasters is not seen as core business for many local governments. However, he said having a suite of plans in place before such an event makes it much easier for local governments to allocate and direct resources when the event occurs. "It starts with having accurate data of where disasters might happen and what their impact could be," he said. "From this data local governments can identify planning zones where housing should and shouldn't be built, or what levels of building protection are needed if building is allowed in those at-risk areas." The study found that forward planning also meant local governments know where and what type of any temporary accommodation should be built. It means construction can start very quickly to house displaced residents if necessary. Professor Sanderson said when the immediate threat from fire, flood, windstorm or other disaster has passed, local governments can find themselves overloaded, particularly if there aren't policies in place that have been prioritised before the disaster. The study found some key policies governments need to consider include: Professor Sanderson said state, territory and federal governments can invest in better prepared communities and better recovery by building local government political authority and capacity in all aspects of disaster management. They can also improve other important aspects of disaster management, such as leading coordinated decisions on data management and leading research and evaluation of disaster responses that can support local governments in their planning, preparation and policymaking. Professor Sanderson said having trusted data sources is essential to implementing accurate policies. "Our research shows that having accurate and up-to-date data about disaster hazards is crucial for making effective decisions and managing risks,' says Professor Sanderson. "However, there is a problem with a lack of data standards, availability and quality.' "There is also a lack of trust in the available data, which can make important decisions fraught, such as where new development is allowed." The Victorian research showed the regions were better able to address local needs during emergencies when they combined resources and worked together. But the report said emergency funding systems needed to be set up to support, rather than hinder, collaboration. This was seen as particularly important as climate change drives an increase in the intensity, frequency and scale of disasters. Dr Lisa de Kleyn, lead researcher from La Trobe's Climate Change Adaptation Lab, said the collaborative effort by Campaspe Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, City of Greater Bendigo, Loddon Shire and Mount Alexander Shire councils helped ease pressure by addressing resource gaps, worker burnout, complex community needs and the growing strain of responding to frequent disasters. "Many councils were managing both flood response and recovery simultaneously, while their own emergency staff were directly impacted by floodwaters," Dr de Kleyn said. "This model of collaboration, deep local knowledge and mutual trust enabled the councils to deliver a level of care and coordination no single council could achieve alone." Previous Disaster Deadline: Who Will Save Us? articles. As the Hunter and Mid North Coast battle with yet another series of floods, two major studies have called for an increased role for local government in dealing with natural disaster response and recovery. The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has suggested local government should add a fourth "R" - "Resilience" for their dealing with disasters - to their traditional remit of rates, roads and rubbish. A second study by La Trobe University "Strengthening Collaboration in Emergency Management" provides a case study on five Victorian councils' responses which it says redefined how regional organisations can work together to save property and lives. Australian Community Media has questioned councils in the Hunter and Mid North Coast about their roles in disaster management and recovery and will be bringing their responses in a separate article in our Disaster Deadline - Who Will Save Us? series. However, a common theme from the AHRUI study, which will no doubt resonate with councils, is that they need support and funding to lead local disaster risk management. Research for the study 'Inquiry into housing policy and disaster: better coordinating actions, responses and data' was conducted by researchers from University of NSW, RMIT University and Curtin University. Lead author of the research, Professor David Sanderson, from the University of New South Wales. said local governments should add a fourth "R" for "resilience", in addition to their traditional "rates, roads and rubbish' remit. 'This resilience remit is about improving local ownership of decisions to manage how disaster affects local communities,' said Professor Sanderson. 'The key role of local government is not only when disaster hits - it's also about preventing and mitigating disasters before they occur, and managing the long recovery process after. After all, they are best placed to achieve this, given the right support.' But the study finds that to fulfil this role, they need better support from the State and Commonwealth governments. "Local governments already do the best they can to support their communities to prepare for, prevent and respond to disasters. However, this role is hindered by a lack of resources, lack of investment and a lack of political authority," Professor Sanderson said.. 'The role is also hindered by a lack of reliable data.' Professor Sanderson said preparing for disasters is not seen as core business for many local governments. However, he said having a suite of plans in place before such an event makes it much easier for local governments to allocate and direct resources when the event occurs. "It starts with having accurate data of where disasters might happen and what their impact could be," he said. "From this data local governments can identify planning zones where housing should and shouldn't be built, or what levels of building protection are needed if building is allowed in those at-risk areas." The study found that forward planning also meant local governments know where and what type of any temporary accommodation should be built. It means construction can start very quickly to house displaced residents if necessary. Professor Sanderson said when the immediate threat from fire, flood, windstorm or other disaster has passed, local governments can find themselves overloaded, particularly if there aren't policies in place that have been prioritised before the disaster. The study found some key policies governments need to consider include: Professor Sanderson said state, territory and federal governments can invest in better prepared communities and better recovery by building local government political authority and capacity in all aspects of disaster management. They can also improve other important aspects of disaster management, such as leading coordinated decisions on data management and leading research and evaluation of disaster responses that can support local governments in their planning, preparation and policymaking. Professor Sanderson said having trusted data sources is essential to implementing accurate policies. "Our research shows that having accurate and up-to-date data about disaster hazards is crucial for making effective decisions and managing risks,' says Professor Sanderson. "However, there is a problem with a lack of data standards, availability and quality.' "There is also a lack of trust in the available data, which can make important decisions fraught, such as where new development is allowed." The Victorian research showed the regions were better able to address local needs during emergencies when they combined resources and worked together. But the report said emergency funding systems needed to be set up to support, rather than hinder, collaboration. This was seen as particularly important as climate change drives an increase in the intensity, frequency and scale of disasters. Dr Lisa de Kleyn, lead researcher from La Trobe's Climate Change Adaptation Lab, said the collaborative effort by Campaspe Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, City of Greater Bendigo, Loddon Shire and Mount Alexander Shire councils helped ease pressure by addressing resource gaps, worker burnout, complex community needs and the growing strain of responding to frequent disasters. "Many councils were managing both flood response and recovery simultaneously, while their own emergency staff were directly impacted by floodwaters," Dr de Kleyn said. "This model of collaboration, deep local knowledge and mutual trust enabled the councils to deliver a level of care and coordination no single council could achieve alone." Previous Disaster Deadline: Who Will Save Us? articles. As the Hunter and Mid North Coast battle with yet another series of floods, two major studies have called for an increased role for local government in dealing with natural disaster response and recovery. The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute has suggested local government should add a fourth "R" - "Resilience" for their dealing with disasters - to their traditional remit of rates, roads and rubbish. A second study by La Trobe University "Strengthening Collaboration in Emergency Management" provides a case study on five Victorian councils' responses which it says redefined how regional organisations can work together to save property and lives. Australian Community Media has questioned councils in the Hunter and Mid North Coast about their roles in disaster management and recovery and will be bringing their responses in a separate article in our Disaster Deadline - Who Will Save Us? series. However, a common theme from the AHRUI study, which will no doubt resonate with councils, is that they need support and funding to lead local disaster risk management. Research for the study 'Inquiry into housing policy and disaster: better coordinating actions, responses and data' was conducted by researchers from University of NSW, RMIT University and Curtin University. Lead author of the research, Professor David Sanderson, from the University of New South Wales. said local governments should add a fourth "R" for "resilience", in addition to their traditional "rates, roads and rubbish' remit. 'This resilience remit is about improving local ownership of decisions to manage how disaster affects local communities,' said Professor Sanderson. 'The key role of local government is not only when disaster hits - it's also about preventing and mitigating disasters before they occur, and managing the long recovery process after. After all, they are best placed to achieve this, given the right support.' But the study finds that to fulfil this role, they need better support from the State and Commonwealth governments. "Local governments already do the best they can to support their communities to prepare for, prevent and respond to disasters. However, this role is hindered by a lack of resources, lack of investment and a lack of political authority," Professor Sanderson said.. 'The role is also hindered by a lack of reliable data.' Professor Sanderson said preparing for disasters is not seen as core business for many local governments. However, he said having a suite of plans in place before such an event makes it much easier for local governments to allocate and direct resources when the event occurs. "It starts with having accurate data of where disasters might happen and what their impact could be," he said. "From this data local governments can identify planning zones where housing should and shouldn't be built, or what levels of building protection are needed if building is allowed in those at-risk areas." The study found that forward planning also meant local governments know where and what type of any temporary accommodation should be built. It means construction can start very quickly to house displaced residents if necessary. Professor Sanderson said when the immediate threat from fire, flood, windstorm or other disaster has passed, local governments can find themselves overloaded, particularly if there aren't policies in place that have been prioritised before the disaster. The study found some key policies governments need to consider include: Professor Sanderson said state, territory and federal governments can invest in better prepared communities and better recovery by building local government political authority and capacity in all aspects of disaster management. They can also improve other important aspects of disaster management, such as leading coordinated decisions on data management and leading research and evaluation of disaster responses that can support local governments in their planning, preparation and policymaking. Professor Sanderson said having trusted data sources is essential to implementing accurate policies. "Our research shows that having accurate and up-to-date data about disaster hazards is crucial for making effective decisions and managing risks,' says Professor Sanderson. "However, there is a problem with a lack of data standards, availability and quality.' "There is also a lack of trust in the available data, which can make important decisions fraught, such as where new development is allowed." The Victorian research showed the regions were better able to address local needs during emergencies when they combined resources and worked together. But the report said emergency funding systems needed to be set up to support, rather than hinder, collaboration. This was seen as particularly important as climate change drives an increase in the intensity, frequency and scale of disasters. Dr Lisa de Kleyn, lead researcher from La Trobe's Climate Change Adaptation Lab, said the collaborative effort by Campaspe Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, City of Greater Bendigo, Loddon Shire and Mount Alexander Shire councils helped ease pressure by addressing resource gaps, worker burnout, complex community needs and the growing strain of responding to frequent disasters. "Many councils were managing both flood response and recovery simultaneously, while their own emergency staff were directly impacted by floodwaters," Dr de Kleyn said. "This model of collaboration, deep local knowledge and mutual trust enabled the councils to deliver a level of care and coordination no single council could achieve alone." Previous Disaster Deadline: Who Will Save Us? articles.
Courier-Mail
2 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
‘Freak wave': Aussie reveals distressing moment boat capsized in Bali, killing three
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. One of the Australians on board a boat that capsized in Bali, which claimed three lives, has spoken out about the distressing ordeal. Liam Kerr was one of the 80 people on board the Fast Boat Dolphin II, which had crossed from Nusa Penida and was about 100m from its destination port in Sanur at about 5pm AEST Tuesday when it flipped and flew its occupants into the water. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) told NewsWire four Australians were confirmed to be on-board when the boat capsized. Three people were killed, including two Chinese nationals and an Indonesian crew member. Three people died after the boat capsized in Bali, throwing the 80 people into the water. Photo by Dicky Bisinglasi / AFP Speaking to Today, Liam said the boat was returning to the shore when it was hit by a 'freak wave', flipping the boat 'instantly' and tossing people into the water. Standing on the top deck with his friends, the impact of the wave tossed the group off the boat, while others were stuck inside it. 'It was kind of within two, three seconds we went from being everything's fine and normal to (the boat being) upside down, and we're in the water,' he said. Liam Kerr was one of the 80 people on board when they were tossed into the water. Picture: Liam Kerr/ 9News As Liam returned to the surface, he noticed many others were struggling to keep above the water. 'I popped up and there was a younger Indonesian guy who actually couldn't swim and he grabbed hold of me, but I pushed him away because there was nothing I could really do,' he said. 'He was actually one of the guys who passed away, so that was pretty confronting for my mates and I.' The Perth man grabbed his phone and captured the moment the boat was flipped upside down, with the passengers floating nearby as the rescue team worked to pull them from the water. The Australian managed to capture footage of the moments after the boat flipped. Picture: Liam Kerr/ 9News It wasn't until he returned home to Perth yesterday that the reality of the incident sunk in. 'But now I'm back, it all kind of hit me pretty hard last night, I'm just really grateful that we're okay, it could have been a lot worse for one of us,' he said. 'We are kind of just in disbelief and shock that it happened.' He said the reality of the situation didn't sink in until he returned home to Perth. Picture: Liam Kerr /Today Maritime accidents are common in Indonesia due to poorly regulated safety rules, overcrowding and rough sea conditions. Smartraveller warns Australians travelling to Indonesia to be cautious of rough seas and strong rips at tourist beaches. In March, a 39-year-old Australian woman was killed and two others were injured after a snorkelling boat capsized off the coast of Bali. Originally published as 'Freak wave': Aussie reveals distressing moment boat capsized in Bali, killing three
