World news – African Union – The imposition of a national emergency by the government in response to the summer forest fires

The federal government says it will put in place a new law that will allow it to declare a national emergency if needed during future natural disasters

The idea was one of a set of recommendations made by the Royal Commission on National Arrangements for Natural Disasters, called in in the aftermath of the 2019-20 bushfire season

The state of national emergency will allow the government to take action and provide assistance to states and territories facing threats, even if they do not request it.

In response to the committee’s final report, the government said it will introduce legislation to enable the declaration

“The Commonwealth Government supports and welcomes this recommendation which recognizes that such a declaration is essential in an ‘all-hazards’ approach to national natural disaster events, including events beyond fires and floods.”

Anyone hoping to present the final report pages to the panel blaming the account or apportioning blame for dealing with the fire season will be disappointed.

“A national emergency declaration will facilitate rapid national responses, allowing for capabilities that exceed those of individual states and regions.”

He said that the Commonwealth will work with states and territories to consider what it could do to best « complement measures » taken by judicial authorities in emergency situations where the declaration is made

The committee’s 80 recommendations provided advice on a range of areas, from coordination of all levels of government during emergencies, warning systems for the public, climate data, the role of the Australian Defense Force, and how charities and other groups could respond better in the aftermath. Disaster

While the government has supported or endorsed in principle most of the 55 recommendations directed at it specifically or all levels of government, it will not take it upon itself to recommend the establishment of a sovereign air firefighting fleet

In its final report, the commission suggested that Australian, state and territory governments establish a national firefighting fleet and provide it with a very large or very large airlift, pilots and an additional support team

Currently, states have specific firefighting aircraft and lend them to other jurisdictions when needed, but states and territories also rely on the ability to borrow very large air carriers from other countries

The government noted the recommendation, but said it recognized the « maturity, experience and effectiveness » of the current state and territory air capabilities.

“The Commonwealth encourages states and territories to work collaboratively and with industry to build Australian air firefighting capabilities, in line with its sovereign obligations to maintain appropriate operational response capabilities”

She also noted a suggestion that Australia’s emergency department should be responsible for managing the new fleet, saying it is « comfortable » with the National Air Fire Control Center (NAFC) maintaining control

“The Commonwealth will continue its annual contribution of $ 26 million to NAFC, indexed from 2020 to 21,”

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Government, Emergency, Royal Commission, National Airfires Center