$85m set aside for new natural hazards research centre

The Federal Government has confirmed funding of $85 million over 10 years to establish the Natural Hazards Research Australia (NHRA) centre.

The centre will deliver “evidence-based research to better inform natural disaster preparation and to develop technological solutions to mitigate risks”.

A series of workshops and meetings with potential end-users and research partners are planned to help guide the centre’s activities over the long term.

Several cooperative research centre, including the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, have already expressed an intention to be involved.

The NHRA’s objectives are to:

  • support objectives of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Framework and recommendations of the 2020 Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements;
  • work alongside and complement the new Australian Climate Service;
  • contribute to the work of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency to enhance disaster risk reduction and build more resilient communities; and
  • deliver a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary research program spanning the full prevent, prepare, respond, and recovery cycle.

In related news, the Australian Climate Service has begun providing detailed climate and disaster information for government agencies from its base in Townsville.

It will also work to improve impact modelling and the information made available to decision-makers to direct response, relief, and recovery efforts in future disaster events.

The service is a collaboration between the Bureau of Statistics, the Bureau of Meteorology, Geoscience Australia, and the CSIRO.