Trans-Tasman partners to lift emergency management research and best practice

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Australia and New Zealand have signed an MOU to strengthen disaster management cooperation between the nations.

“I look forward to a very collaborative partnership with New Zealand across a range of disaster management issues,” said emergency management minister Murray Watt in a joint statement with Kiwi counterpart Kieran McAnulty. 

The ministers met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference in Brisbane this week. 

McAnulty said the MOU would mean disaster assistance technical advisors would be made available during times of crisis. Australia and New Zealand would also explore opportunities for joint activities and exercises, he added. 

“Australia and New Zealand face similar natural hazards, and so there’s a lot our countries can learn from each other,” McAnulty said. 

“Each response gives us the opportunity to improve our systems, and the more information we have, the better prepared we can be. 

“With the rate and scale of emergencies increasing globally, it’s important, now more than ever, that friends work together to build resilience and reduce risk.”

We’ve reached an important agreement with our neighbours across the ditch. pic.twitter.com/jRcCWiee95

— Senator Murray Watt (@MurrayWatt) September 21, 2022

Australia and NZ will face ongoing extreme weather events over the 2022 summer as a result of a third consecutive La Niña event.

According to Watt, a focus for both nations under the MOU will be building capability for both nations’ emergency management agencies.

“The establishment of Australia’s newly formed National Emergency Management Agency provides a strong driver for us to enhance this collaboration further, given the similarity in our emergency management structures,” he said. 

Trans-Tasman cooperation on emergency management, disaster response and risk management is long-standing, with arrangements already in place for Australia and NZ to share resources, as well as incident management personnel when required.

The MOU will also aim to achieve a more “connected approach” to regional and international engagement.