Voting takes place via the AIDR Facebook page. The image with the most likes and reactions from each state or territory (as at 5pm AEST, June 21) will win its jurisdictional photography award.

The national winner will be selected from the state and territory winners by the Australian Journal of Emergency Management Editorial Committee, and announced in November at the national ceremony. Thank you to all the photographers who submitted such a diverse range of images.

The Resilient Australia Awards is a nation-wide program to recognise and promote initiatives that strengthen community disaster resilience. Since 2000, the awards have showcased innovation and exemplary practice across Australia; celebrating achievements that might otherwise go unseen, and inspiring others to build greater disaster resilience in their own communities.

The Australian Government is proud to sponsor the Resilient Australia Awards in partnership with the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience and the states and territories.

The Resilient Australia Awards is a two-tiered program. With the exception of multi-jurisdictional projects, submissions are judged in their state or territory, and jurisdictional winners considered for national awards. The categories at each tier are listed below.

Further information on the program structure and submission requirements are contained in the guidelines. 

Assessment questions

Winning projects will reflect key principles of the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience. 

1. Describe your project or initiative purpose, design and aims.
   
   Consider the following questions in developing your response:
    
   • What is the purpose of the project?
   • Where is the project based?
   • Who is involved in the project? Who benefits?
   • What are the achievements and outcomes of the project?
   • Does the project make use of technology? Was this beneficial to the outcome?
     
     
     
2. Provide specific examples of how the project has supported the community to build resilience to disasters and emergencies. Highlight aspects that make the project sustainable and/or transferable to other communities. 
   
   

   Consider the following questions in developing your response:

   • What have the changes in the community been as a result of your project?
   • What evidence can you provide? Has the project been evaluated?
   • Could other communities use your project as a model? How can it be adapted to other communities?
     
     
     
3. What were the findings and achievements of the project or initiative? 
   
   

   Consider the following questions in developing your response:

   • How did the project promote or encourage sharing the responsibility for disaster resilience/community safety among multiple sectors/groups?
   • How does your project reflect key ideas in the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience?
   • How has the community been directly engaged through the project? How has the community responded to the project?

Finalist in the National Resilient Australia Awards