A new report is urging governments to rethink housing policy in response to natural disasters, including helping local leadership.
A landmark national research inquiry led by UNSW Sydney’s Professor David Sanderson is calling for a fundamental shift in how Australia prepares for and responds to disasters – beginning with housing policy and local government empowerment.
The full report “Housing policy and disaster: better coordinating actors, responses and data”, was released by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI).
Conducted in collaboration with researchers from RMIT and Curtin University, the two-year-long inquiry draws on policy analysis, literature reviews and case studies from seven post-disaster recovery events across four states. It also included insights from community members, government officials, and industry leaders.
The report found local government is uniquely positioned to lead disaster resilience efforts but is under-resourced, under-supported, and under-recognised in national disaster frameworks.
Professor David Sanderson, a disaster response and risk reduction expert from UNSW’s Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture, said local governments are often on the “front line when disaster strikes”.
“They know their communities best and are often the first to respond and the last to leave,” he said.
“But they can’t do it alone. We need to give them the tools, authority, and data they need to lead effectively.
“Right now, we have too many top-heavy organisations who only come into contact with communities after a disaster. We need to change that through long-term investment in local leadership, both before and after a disaster.”
The Gunnedah area has had its own share of natural disasters. Recent years saw opportunities to better prepare for the future,
after multiple floods during 2021-2022.
One initiative was last year’s ‘Big Map’ in Gunnedah which invited people to understand how flooding impacted the region.
The 15m by 9m aerial photograph helped give a visual understanding of risk areas and an opportunity to discuss roles and responsibilities during flooding.
The NSW SES partnered with Disaster Relief Australia, the Minderoo Foundation, and Gunnedah and Narrabri Shire councils to deliver the Big Map events.
In 2023, residents also provided feedback to the State Emergency Service (SES) when it hosted a flood forum after the shire suffered multiple events in a two-year period.
More recently, the Gunnedah Times reported on the decision from Equip – a university-led research team helping communities prepare for natural disasters – to not to proceed with a project in Gunnedah. The town was initially selected as one of just three NSW locations to take part in the natural disaster-preparedness project. The five-year program aims help prepare people emotionally and mentally for flood, fire and drought.
