Today’s official opening of the upgraded National Situation Room (NSR) represents an important boost to Australia’s capability in crisis response and management.
The upgrade allows for the rapid scaling up of support during crisis events, including co-location of representatives from across the Australian Government and impacted states and territories.
Enhancing the National Situation Room
The enhancement of the National Situation Room (NSR) forms part of a larger program of work to strengthen Emergency Management and Response, following the extreme bushfire season of 2019-2020 and recommendations from the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements.
Within the upgrade is enhanced technology that includes the National Joint Common Operating Picture (NJCOP) which will greatly enhance functionality during times of national exposure.
Behind Australia’s crisis response management
The National Situation Room (NSR) is a secure and critical coordination facility directly connected to State and Territory emergency centres, providing 24/7 all-hazard situational awareness, impact analysis and decision support to Government.
The NSR also coordinates physical Australian Government emergency assistance such as the National Security Hotline, which is vital to Australia's national counter-terrorism efforts.
The upgrade also allows related organisations, such as the Bureau of Meteorology, to be better integrated in the crisis response.
The National Situation Room (NSR) previously known as the Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre (CCC) was established in 2011 as part of the then Emergency Management Australia. The NSR is paramount in the Australian Government’s emergency response and and preparedness activities since its establishment including:
- the Lindt Café siege 2014
- the Tham Luang Cave Rescue 2018
- Christchurch mosque shootings 2019
- Black Summer Bushfires 2019 – 2020
- Afghanistan Repatriation 2021
- COVID19 Response 2021- 2022
- Eastern Australia Floods 2022
How the National Emergency Management Agency works with the National Situation Room
On the home front, the National Situation Room (NSR) has been integral in supporting the Black Summer bushfire response and early recovery efforts and more recently this year’s floods that continue to impact a large part of Eastern Australia.
As the National Emergency Management Agency, we work side-by-side with relevant government agencies, emergency management organisations and Australian communities, to manage crisis situations and ensure that Australian communities are well prepared for future disasters.
The information the NSR has been able to rapidly pull together from various credible sources and is helping the state-based emergency services to plan and prepare. It provides critical advice to Government, reducing the time taken to deliver support to impacted communities.
NEMA’s staff with expertise in the joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, are working with the NSW, Victorian, Tasmanian and South Australian governments to identify the right packages, so that support can roll out sooner.
We also monitor the likely impacts on people’s homes, businesses and employers, to recommend the activation of Australian Government disaster assistance for individuals,
And our regional planning and recovery officers are in communities, working alongside other agencies to connect people with assistance and to report back immediate needs.
