Search

Australian Disaster Resilience Conference 2023

Conference program

Resilience reimagined

It has never been more important to reduce disaster risk and build resilience. With science telling us that disasters will become more frequent and severe due to climate change, the urgency of this work is clear. We must reimagine the future if we are to create the change we need.

The Australian Disaster Resilience Conference returns in 2023 with the latest ideas and innovations in disaster resilience and risk reduction on 23-24 August in Brisbane.

The conference will again feature a program with two streams, offering a comprehensive conference experience that delegates can tailor according to their interests.

This year the Australian Disaster Resilience Conference program will explore what is possible by coming together to reimagine resilience.

Keynote speakers

Nazir Afzal OBE

Former Crown Prosecutor, London Fire Brigade Culture Review Author

Jerry Greyson

Rescue Pilot, Drone Educator, Keynote Speaker, Web3 and Crypto Native, NFT Artist

Tonya Hoover

Deputy Administrator, US Fire Administration, FEMA

Program by day

Australian Disaster Resilience Conference | Day 1

Wednesday 23 August

8.30am		Opening Ceremony
9.15am		KEYNOTE: Nazir Afzal OBE
10.00am		KEYNOTE: Volvo Group Australia
10.45am		Morning tea and poster session
		INVESTING IN RESILIENCE: MODELS AND APPROACHES		PREPARING AND RECOVERING
11.50am		What does it take to build resilience investment capabilities in Australia - reflections and lessons from the Enabling Resilience Investment initiative Russell Wise (CSIRO)		Community led recovery - three years on in Mallacoota and District Carol Hopkins (Mallacoota and District Recovery Committee and Australian Red Cross)
12.20pm		The Now-Future-How model for strengthening community resilience Kerry Jones (Australian Centre for Social Innovation)		Building a habit - reframing disaster preparedness in Queensland Kate Retzki (Queensland Reconstruction Authority)
12.50pm		Rethinking investment: people and processes, not products and things Nina O'Brien (Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal)		That which connects us: First Nations leadership in bushfire recovery on Yuin Country, Mogo, NSW Barbara Rix (Australian Red Cross), Jordan Nye (Muladha Gamara) & Dr Claire Leppold (University of Melbourne)
1.20pm		Lunch and poster session
		INSURANCE ACTION AND STRATEGY		DISABILITY INCLUSIVE DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
2.20pm		Insuring a resilient Australia Liam Walter (Insurance Council of Australia)		What if people with disability were leading inclusive DRR? Michelle Moss, Donna Best & Paul O'Dea (Queenslanders with Disability Network)
2.50pm		PANEL The Australian Government’s role in putting downward pressure on hazard insurance premiums Lizzy O’Shea (National Emergency Management Agency)		Improving inclusion of people with disability, older people and their family friend carers in disaster planning and response Karen Akehurst (Carers NSW)
3.20pm				Disability inclusive disaster risk reduction: latest practices from the Pacific Karen Alexander (CBMA Inclusion Advisory Group)
3.50pm		Break
		CREATIVE RECOVERY		DISASTER RESILIENCE EDUCATION
4.30pm		Creativity, recovery and resilience: creative processes that empower individuals and communities to participate in their own recovery Anna Kennedy-Borissow (University of Melbourne)		PANEL Building disaster resilience into the school curriculum: effective how to approaches from educational practitioners Jamie Loyd (Minderoo Foundation) Andrea Vis (Gingin District High School) Dan Kaggelis (Smithfield State High School) Judy Grey (St Monica's Richmond)
5.00pm		Hard place/good place: enabling recovery for young people Linda Snell (Yarra Ranges Council) Willow Swaneveld (2023 Yarra Ranges Council Young Citizen of the Year)
5.30pm		Networking Function

Australian Disaster Resilience Conference | Day 2

Thursday 24 August

8.30am		KEYNOTE: Jerry Greyson
9.15am		KEYNOTE: Tonya Hoover
10.00am		Morning tea and poster Session
		RESILIENCE ACROSS SOCIETY		PEOPLE, PLACE AND POWER
11.10am		CALD community-led disaster resilience project Shanti Ramasundram (Australian Red Cross)		Resilience reimagined: the creation of Cobargo Bushfire Resilience Centre Rhonda Ayliffe (University of Canberra)
11.40am		Indigenous healing and disaster recovery: dialogue with cascading benefits for resilience Phoebe Quinn (The University of Melbourne) Bhiamie Williamson (Monash University)		Harnessing strength of community for neighbourhood scale risk understanding and locally led resilience: the Douglas Shire Community Resilience Scorecard Project Julie Brook (Meridian Urban)
12.10pm		People at risk in emergencies: a collaborative approach Kathy Mickan (South Australian Council of Social Service) & Ms Vikki Booth (Australian Red Cross)		Imagining a resilient Fitzroy Crossing: reflections on the Fitzroy Crossing floods January 2023 from a Traditional Owner perspective Andrea Myers (Wangki Radio)
12.40pm		Lunch
		COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES		NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS
1.50pm		Local self-determination, collective support: adapting collective impact models for disaster resilience, response and recovery Katherine Ellis (Youth Affairs Council Victoria)		Insuring nature based defences: the role of the insurance sector in promoting nature-based solutions involving coastal wetlands in Australia Ondrej Bures (Finity Consulting) & Justine Bell-James (The University of Queensland)
2.20pm		PANEL Community perspective on resilience reimagined Moderator: Liz Mackinlay (Australian Business Volunteers) Dr Jodie Stewart (Eden Community Access Centre) Zena Armstrong (Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund) Natascha Wernick (Byrrill Creek Community Resilience Team ) & Janice Newman (Walwa Community, VIC)		Disaster resilience and the ocean account Dastagir Mir (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
2.50pm				Nature-based solutions to take off the heat: designing resilience into Sydney's new urban area Dr Madelon Willemsen (Aurecon)
3.30pm		CLOSING PANEL Why aren’t we spending more on disaster resilience? Martijn Gough (Aither)
4.30pm		Closing Ceremony

Register for the conference

You will be redirected to the AFAC23 powered by INTERSCHUTZ portal to register.

About the conference

Key information for 2023

Speaker profiles

Coming soon