Interim observations

The 2019-2020 bushfires are still fresh in the minds of many Australians, and were the focus of most submissions to this inquiry.  The Bushfire History Project was launched to encourage people to record their personal experience, and to share their photos and videos from the bushfires and the ongoing recovery, so that these stories are not forgotten. This inquiry is not only about bushfires, but also about disasters more generally,  such as floods, bushfires, earthquakes, storms, cyclones, storm surges, tornados, landslides and tsunami.

Disaster risk is complex and dynamic, as it is a product of the nature of the relevant hazard, the extent to which communities and other assets are exposed, and the ability of the relevant communities and other systems to cope with and recover from impacts — often referred to as vulnerability. The extent of the damage and harm caused by disasters depends on a wide range of factors — such as the intensity and severity of the disaster, where people choose to live, how they build their homes, how both public and private land is managed, and how well people and communities are prepared, supported and cared for during and after disasters.