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National Emergency Management Stockpile

Ensuring better provision of supplies in times of disaster

The Australian Government has allocated funds to further develop the National Emergency Management Stockpile (NEMS) as an enduring national capability.

When communities are hit by disaster access to life sustaining resources such as safe emergency shelter, emergency power and access to potable water for drinking and hygiene purposes are critical.

Further investment into this capability will contribute to saving lives, livelihoods and property in a disaster; and will help protect Australia’s economic interests by reducing the level of harm caused to disaster-impacted communities.

Purpose

The National Emergency Management Stockpile will enable the Australian Government to provide disaster response and relief resources for rapid deployment across Australia, augmenting state and territory capabilities, when their capabilities have been fully committed to the response to severe and catastrophic disasters.

The Australian Government will also be able to pre-deploy assets around the country in preparation for disasters that are anticipated to have significant impacts.                                                               

The National Emergency Management Stockpile

This Budget measure has three components, each designed to support the rapid deployment of critical disaster response and relief assets and resources when the states and territories request non-financial assistance from the Australian Government:

  • A National Emergency Management Stockpile (NEMS) Standing Offer Panel with service categories for goods, logistics and specialist services, which authorised state and territory government agencies can also access.
  • national stockpile of Australian Government-owned re-deployable assets and single-use seasonal consumables, managed under NEMA contracts with industry. This includes self-sustaining emergency shelter camps, water desalination and purification systems and high output power generation.
  • Memoranda of Understanding with other Australian Government humanitarian and crisis response capabilities.

This work will ensure an ongoing capacity for governments to support Australian communities during and immediately following disasters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this initiative being funded?

This funding will further develop whole-of-government crisis, emergency and disaster management capability to respond to disasters. It will supplement Australian Defence Force (ADF) capabilities and help to reduce our reliance on the ADF to support domestic response and relief efforts.

What will the funding provide?

The funding will enable the National Emergency Management Agency to prioritise the coordination and deployment of Australian-Government-owned emergency management resources.

It will also support the establishment of a dedicated National Emergency Management Stockpile Standing Offer Panel, and enable the procurement and management of an initial stockpile of Australian Government-owned assets in 2023-24.

What is the timeframe?

The funding will be provided over the 2023-24 financial year to progress work on each of the three components of the National Emergency Management Stockpile, with an initial stockpile of Australian Government-owned assets established for the 2023-24 higher risk weather season, and a Standing Offer Panel by 30 June 2024.