Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, , 20:02 to 23:55
The Minister provides an update on the high-risk weather season, offers condolences for a flood-related death, and discusses the implementation of the OzAlert national warning system.
Topics: Drought and disaster support, Public safety
Speakers: Hon Jenny McAllister, Senator Jana Stewart
Good morning, everyone. Minister, would you like to make an opening statement?
Yes, please, Chair.
Please proceed.
Chair, thank you for the opportunity to address the committee. The higher risk weather season is underway and significant weather events are already affecting communities across Australia. Overnight, I understand it's been confirmed that a Queensland man has died in floodwaters. This will be a very distressing time for his community, for his friends, for his family. And I think all Senators present would acknowledge that distress and offer our condolences to that man's community. The conditions are expected to intensify over the coming months. There will be an increased risk of fires across Northern and South Eastern New South Wales, South East Queensland, North Eastern Tasmania, parts of Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria, and large parts of the Northern Territory. Daytime and overnight temperatures are forecast to be above average nationwide, increasing heat wave risks and accelerating the drying of vegetation. So the forecasts like this underscore why our government's investment in emergency management and risk reduction remains critical. The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA continues to work with states and territories to help communities prepare prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. And we work with our partners across Australia to strengthen preparedness. Disasters are becoming larger and more complex and more costly. Early action does save lives, strengthen communities and helps government and emergency services support Australians when they need it most. Anticipation and preparation can make all the difference when conditions deteriorate. I want to acknowledge the leadership of Minister McBain in the work of NEMA in this space. Over recent months, NEMA has engaged with jurisdictional crisis response and recovery agencies. They delivered the annual preparedness summit and national preparedness exercise. They've provided sector-specific briefings and finalised the disaster reference booklet for federal members of parliament, which I hope everyone here has accessed. And together these efforts strengthen planning and preparedness, they build national resilience and reduce potential harm to communities ahead of each higher risk weather season. This work is complemented by new national capabilities that are designed to help ensure Australia is ready. So a core aspect of our national readiness is OzAlert, Australia's new national warning system. It uses the latest technology to send emergency messages to compatible devices. I should say they are to mobile devices. OzAlert gives Commonwealth State and Territory Agencies access to cell broadcast technology. This is considered best practice for telephone-based warning systems. It is used in more than 35 countries. Following the successional successful national test in July this year, Oz Alert is now available and ready for use. NEMA is working with jurisdictions to finalise operational arrangements. Looking forward, Australia does face a rapidly changing risk environment. The Albanese government is focused on ensuring that our nation is prepared and ready to respond. This summer, Minister McBain and the team here at NEMA will continue working diligently to support communities during these more demanding operational months. The government wishes to acknowledge the emergency services workers, first responders, local councils, and the many volunteers who will undoubtedly be on the ground protecting lives and communities in the face of extreme weather. So on behalf of Minister McBain, I wish to thank everyone here for the opportunity to speak today, and to everyone working across Australia to keep our country safe. I thank you for your continued efforts.
Thank you, Minister, and certainly associate ourselves with your words of condolence at the beginning too. Mr Hetherington, would you like to make an opening statement?