Overview

In Australia, state and territory governments have primary responsibility for protecting life, property and environment within their borders. They have established plans in place to respond to, and recover from, natural and human-caused emergencies.

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is responsible for maintaining and updating the Australian Government Crisis Management Framework (AGCMF). The AGCMF underpins the other crisis plans (below) which are maintained by the National Emergency Management Agency.

Version 3.1 of the AGCMF was released on Friday 17 December 2021, to ensure that arrangements which set out the Australian Government’s response to emergencies and natural disasters are up to date in preparation for the 2022-2023 high-risk weather season.

A full copy is available from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet website.

To complement the efforts of state, territory and international governments responding to a disaster or emergency, the Australian Government can also provide physical assistance.

The National Emergency Management Agency coordinates:

• Australian Government disaster assistance to states and territories
• state and territory emergency response capabilities to disasters overseas (if requested by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade).

We maintain a range of response plans that we can give to state and territory governments and international partners responding to an emergency.

Physical assistance overseas

The Australian Government Overseas Assistance Plan 2018 (1068KB PDF) explains the coordination arrangements for providing physical assistance following a disaster or emergency in another country.

State and territory requests for assistance

The Australian Government Disaster Response Plan 2020 (701KB PDF) explains how the Australian Government responds to requests for assistance from state and territory governments responding to a disaster.

Evacuation from overseas

The Australian Government Plan for the Reception of Australian Citizens and Approved Foreign Nationals Evacuated from Overseas 2017 (809KB PDF) explains how the Australia Government evacuates Australian citizens and approved foreign nationals following an emergency incident overseas.

Overseas mass casualty

The Australian Government Response Plan for Overseas Mass Casualty Incidents 2017 (747KB PDF) explains how the Australian Government evacuates Australian's and Australian National's from an overseas mass casualty incident.

Space debris re-entry

The Australian Government Space Re-entry Debris Plan 2017 (532KB PDF) explains how the Australian Government manages risk posed by re-entering space debris, which may impact Australia.