This week, the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) hosted the 25th Resilient Australia Awards at Old Parliament House, in Canberra. 

This year’s Awards celebrated efforts to build community resilience to disasters and emergencies. During the special ceremony, examples of resilience in action, as well as the stories of people making a positive difference to Australia’s resilience were recognised.  

The Awards spotlight collaboration and innovation across sectors and help to strengthen disaster resilience in communities, institutions, and the private sector. 

The awards endorsed a wide range of initiatives, with recipients from several categories being recognised including the: 

• National Award, which demonstrated the most systemic change and groundbreaking resilience results in Australia
• Research for Impact, for resilience research that is having or will have a significant impact on knowledge, capability and practice
• Mental Health and Wellbeing, for a resilience focussed project that supports the mental health and wellbeing of communities
• Collaboration and Partnership, for demonstrating the power of collaboration and partnership when working toward a goal or mission

As well as other categories including Community, Business, Government, Local Government, School, and Photography. 

Sustainability, science and innovation were strong themes this year. It is also the first year where the Research for Impact Award was presented. This new category recognises research that will significantly impact disaster resilience. It contributes to improving knowledge, capability, and practice. 

All category finalists worked hard to reduce disaster risk at national and local levels. Their efforts include addressing:  

• climate adaptation 
• boosting community engagement 
• improving infrastructure 
• promoting collaboration and inclusivity. 

Senator, the Honourable, Jenny McAllister, Minister for Emergency Management and NEMA’s Coordinator-General, Brendan Moon attended the event to acknowledge the work across the sector.  

"The Resilient Australia Awards have again recognised projects that are putting the community at the centre of their work,” said Coordinator-General Moon. 

Coordinator-General Moon also presented the Resilient Australia National Award, which recognises the peak project that has delivered systemic change and groundbreaking results in the resilience space. 

This year’s winner was the Northern Territory Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet, in recognition of its ‘Local Indigenous Cultural Recovery Advisors’.  

This project is a powerful initiative that prioritises including First Nations voices in disaster management. It emphasises the importance of local cultural needs and inclusiveness when it comes to disaster recovery. 

It was a privilege to present the National Award and meet so many finalists who are making their communities more resilient.” 

All individuals and sectors have a role to play. It’s important we continue prioritising resilience and disaster risk reduction to create a safer and stronger future.

NEMA’s Assistant Coordinator-General, Sally Kuschel, also announced the highly commended and winners for the 2024 National Community Award.  

The Resilient Australia Awards are proudly sponsored by the Australian Government in partnership with states and territories and managed by the AIDR. We would like to thank AIDR for hosting the event.