5 years ago
INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
SENATOR THE HON MARISE PAYNE
On the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, we affirm our commitment to work to reduce the risk of natural disasters to communities across Australia and the Indo-Pacific.
Communities in Australia’s region are vulnerable to cyclones, floods, earthquakes and other natural hazards.
Australia has demonstrated its dedication to helping our neighbours through our humanitarian response to events such as Cyclone Winston in Fiji, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu.
To help strengthen all of our defences against such disasters, Australia will host the AsiaPacific Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction from 23 to 26 June next year in Brisbane, in partnership with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
The conference will bring together nations from across the Indo-Pacific to agree on actions to accelerate our disaster resilience efforts. The conference is an opportunity to share our knowledge and experience with our regional neighbours. In turn, we will learn from other countries’ experiences and innovations in managing disaster risk.
It will help grow the sum of knowledge about how to tackle the threat of cyclones, storms, bushfires, floods and droughts, protecting the livelihoods and safety of Australians and our neighbours.
At home, Australians roll up their sleeves and support each other through the tough times of drought, floods and bushfires. The upcoming summer will likely test us once again.
To protect and strengthen our own communities, Australia has developed the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework. By changing how we think about disasters and working together, we can take action to be better prepared and more resilient for whatever comes our way.
Reducing disaster risk is everyone’s business. We need to be open to new perspectives, insights, and ways of thinking, to come up with solutions to build our disaster and climate resilience.
Australia looks forward to welcoming our partners from around the region in 2020 to work together to enhance our collective response to natural disasters.