We work with partners across Australia and around the world to share knowledge and experience. This collaboration helps Australia reduce disaster risk and strengthen resilience.
We also support people internationally during times of crisis by deploying assistance. This includes medical teams and search and rescue capabilities.
For example, we deployed fire and rescue teams to Tonga following a volcanic eruption, and medical teams to Pacific countries during the COVID‑19 pandemic.
We have supported the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through active participation in key international forums, including:
We also hosted the Asia–Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Brisbane in 2022.
We work closely with the Department of Home Affairs’ National Resilience Taskforce.
This collaboration includes supporting the development of a national, five‑year framework for disaster mitigation.
We work with international partners through multilateral forums to strengthen risk management and improve shared approaches to resilience.
These forums include the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Group of Twenty, and the Five Country Ministerial.
We build our expertise capability through engagements with other countries.
Australia and Canada have signed a Memorandum of Understanding and a Joint Declaration of Intent (PDF 136KB) to collaborate on emergency management and disaster risk reduction and resilience.
Australia and New Zealand have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (PDF 1.2MB) to share research and best practice, share disaster support and explore joint activities and exercises.
The two countries have agreed to collaborate on management of all hazard events, policy and planning and management of recovery programs.
The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) coordinates international strategies and programs, such as the Sendai Framework to lower disaster risk.
The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 aims to reduce international disaster risk. It has 4 key areas:
We report on Australia's progress against the Sendai Framework, as well as help Asia-Pacific countries implement it, we also develop resilient investment opportunities.
The Sendai Framework is halfway complete, on 30 September 2022, we shared Australia's midterm progress (PDF 3.65MB).
Australia includes the Sendai Framework in the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework (PDF 3.43MB).
The United Nations produces a major report on reducing disaster risk. It's called the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction; we contributed to the 2022 version.