Prime Minister boosts funding for fire and natural hazard research

14 February 2013

The Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre welcomes the Australian Government announcement to create an expanded national centre for research into bushfires and natural hazards.

The Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday pledged $47 million over eight years for a new Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre from 1 July 2013.

This CRC will build on the 10 years of national research of the Bushfire CRC and expand research into other hazards including flood, earthquake, cyclone and tsunami.

Mr Gary Morgan, chief executive officer of the Bushfire CRC said that with funding for the Bushfire CRC scheduled to end in June 2013, this announcement was timely and with a long term vision.

“The creation of the first national centre for combined research into fire and natural hazards is a welcome development by the Australian Government.

“The knowledge and expertise that has been built up over the last decade in national bushfire research can now continue and be expanded into related areas involving other natural hazards.      

“Current bushfire research projects including communicating warnings, community education and resilience, incident management, severe weather, urban planning, ecology and biodiversity, and emergency worker safety, have the potential to be extended across other natural hazards. In addition, there are new areas of research that will be opened up under this broader research centre.

“The continuation of research in fire and natural hazards will meet the operational needs of fire and land management agencies across Australia and New Zealand. Communities prone to natural hazard events will continue to benefit from the new science that is being applied to reduce the impacts of these threats.