Emergency Management
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is Australia’s National Disaster Management Organisation.
NEMA manages the Australian Government Disaster Response Plan under which states and territories may seek Australian Government assistance when the scale of an emergency or disaster exceeds or exhausts the jurisdiction’s response capacity and capabilities, or where resources cannot be mobilised in sufficient time.
NEMA delivers programs, policies and services that strengthen Australia's national security and emergency management capability.
Australian Government National Situation Room
The National Situation Room (NSR) is a 24/7 crisis management information and whole-of-government coordination facility provided by NEMA.
The facility provides all-hazards (split into Natural and Human-induced) monitoring and situational awareness for domestic and international events affecting Australia or Australian interests.
It is directly connected to state and territory emergency centres, and maintains situational awareness on a 24/7 basis over 5 shifts.
Some examples that the NSR has been involved in include:
- the Tham Luang Cave Rescue 2018
- Black Summer Bushfires 2019 – 2020
- Afghanistan Repatriation 2021
- COVID19 Response 2021- 2022
- the Eastern Australia Floods 2022.
The National Situation Room also coordinates physical Australian Government emergency assistance and manages the National Security Hotline, vital to Australia's national counter-terrorism efforts.
National Coordination Mechanism
As announced by the Prime Minister on 5 March, the Australian Government activated the National Coordination Mechanism in response to the spread of COVID-19.
The National Coordination Mechanism within NEMA operates through the Department of Home Affairs and together with the states and territories co-ordinates the whole of government responses to issues outside the direct health management of COVID-19.
Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience
The Australian Government also established the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR). AIDR enhances disaster resilience through innovative thought leadership, professional development and knowledge sharing.
It works with government, community, research, education and the private sector to share extensive knowledge and experience in Australia and abroad.
Australian Tsunami Warning System
The National Emergency Management Agency, the Bureau of Meteorology and Geoscience Australia collaborate to provide the Australian Tsunami Warning System.
It delivers timely and effective tsunami warnings to the Australian population. This system includes the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre, public education, national crisis coordination and support to state and territory emergency agencies.
Australian Climate Service
As a nation we need to better understand climate and natural hazard threats and make the necessary changes needed to reduce our exposure and vulnerability to these events. Otherwise, the devastation from events will continue to grow.
Across the Australian Government we hold world-leading expertise, data and information that can support better planning and preparedness for natural hazards and enable better response and recovery to disasters when they strike.
The Australian Climate Service will support better planning and preparedness for climate and natural hazards, and better response and recovery to disasters when they strike.
Established by the Australian Government in 2021, the service's work is guided by recommendations in the Royal Commission on National Natural Disaster Arrangements. The service is a partnership, made up of world leading science, information and expertise from the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia, CSIRO and Australian Bureau of Statistics.