Community-led disaster resilience in Nauiyu Aboriginal community

Annie  Ingram

doi:10.21153/thl2021volnoart1490

Authors

Annie Ingram United Nations OCHA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21153/thl2021volnoart1490

Keywords:

community, disaster resilience, emergency management, localisation, leadership, Aboriginal community, Indigenous Australia

Abstract

There is a need for emergency management systems in Australia to shift to a more collaborative model that involves working with communities rather than simply delivering to communities. This research paper argues that in order to address this, emergency services organisations in Australia need to continue to shift from a service delivery approach to a more localised, participatory and consultative model that acknowledges and harnesses local leadership, knowledge, skills and experience creating opportunities for community driven and fit-for-purpose emergency management. The paper makes the case for why localised approaches are important in places with diverse populations such as the Northern Territory (NT). The NT Aboriginal community of Nauiyu’s experience of evacuations due to flooding in 2015 and 2018 will be used as a case study to offer an example of locally led approaches to disaster resilience.

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Author Biography

Annie Ingram, United Nations OCHA

Annie currently works for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs as an Accountability to Affected Populations and Community Engagement Specialist. She is a graduate of the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, and has worked in Aboriginal communities, PNG, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

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